Wrote this back in 2018... and its apocalyptic tone feels frighteningly relevant now.  But as I said then, I hope we can find morsels of hope and build on love and community in these challenging times...

Write HOPE on your arm!

by mike booth

Saturday 29th September 2018 9:28 am

In the recent storms and typhoons, I heard advice from US police to people not evacuating to write theirnames on their arms as it might be the only way to identify them.  This somewhat brutal advice inspiredthe following rather apocalyptic poem - if you look closely I hope you can find a message of hope! 

 

Run for the Hills

 

Write your name upon your arm,

On your sleeve tattoo your heart,

Tried to keep you safe from harm,

But now it’s clear we soon must part.

 

Our hands once grasped so warm and tight,

On my shoulder soft you cried,

In the shadows of the night,

But you know, now that I lied

 

When I said we would be fine - 

With me there’d be no dragon fears.

Now we’ve reached end of the line,

Time to out pour all your tears.

 

Our life and hopes were once strong,

Our new-born love felt so pure,

But now we see all hope is gone,

The listing ship has hit the shore.

 

Run and flee for upper hills,

Seek out some hope where you can,

Gather up all your pills

Consider making a new life plan.

 

The train has come off solid tracks,

The smoking plane has finally ditched.

Let’s leave with the shrieking rats

The slowly sinking stricken ship.

 

A siren loud has clearly sounded,

The building now is dust and rubble.

The bombs our hopes that once have pounded

Have burst at last the fragile bubble.

 

What is ahead may pound and beat us,

Together, afraid, or alone,

It never will  turn us to dust,

Or transform our flesh to cold stone.

 

The lives we lived and once that held us,

Will in mind always be ours,

How our love experience melds us,

And so we live new life each hour.

 

Mx