MUSCLE MEMORY
From trembling thin arms to thunderous cries,
A childhood stained with hunger's cruel guise,
Clinging to mother, seeking her solace tight,
In a world where shadows cast a daunting fright.
Constant threats and abuse, such a heavy weight,
Youth stolen away, no chance to abate, too late,
Billy the eldest boy, burdened beyond his years,
In grey short pants,seeking resilience through tears.
Socks pulled up, as a symbol of strength and will,
Make do and mend, finding solace in the skill
Of training Kes to climb the hills of uplifted air,
When cycling to school he'd hidehis eyes
As the insults fly, pierced the night sky,
His stuttering mocked, his determination grew,
Escape to the books, where his dreams come true,
Each day a torment faced, his courage never died.
so many young ones so burdened, yet still so strong,
In the fierce flames of adversity, he began to belong,
For deep in Billy's muscle memory lies the key,
To rise above struggles and set yourself free.
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M.C. Newberry
Sat 3rd Aug 2024 18:14
Adversity has always been a facet of British working life, with
centuries of endured slow burning evolution forging the often
unacknowledged triumph of the will and spirit. It has been
said that Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton. The
reality is that victory was obtained by the undefeated spirit
of the ranks about whom Wellington was said to comment
"I don't know what they do to the enemy, but by God, they frighten me" (or words to that effect).
Even to this day, we see evidence of undervaluing their
worth, with the chattering twits so quick to place the world and
its dog ahead of them, even in their own land. From "Kes"
there was a move in the right direction with the tale of "Billy Elliot". A bit more of that approach would be both deserved
and welcome.