The Echoes poetry competition to celebrate Write Out Loud's 20th anniversary is now open.  Judged by Neil Astley.

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SAFE FROM HARM

SAFE FROM HARM

 

Fleeing the scene of the smoking crime

my shadow legs were failing falling

decided to run forever but fell

the cops were swift on my slow back

& slow to follow my swift soul

which grinning escaped through some hole

& down a road safe from

Ignorance perfectly un-noticed and perfect

 

The cell was hard like white bone

& naked like something blind and ugly

I slumped & swayed in openly stonedness

& opened my black, silken shirt

the silent one” sulking & moaning

in hooded prayer to an inward God

 

The cells were sick & blind

some people advertised their Ignorance

in graffiti screaming from the walls

FUCK THE PIGS” someone had scratched

I would have told him to fuck himself

for what worse is a pig than a sheep?

 

& so it appeared that Ignorance wins

only over Ignorance again

& I was thankful for this thought

& thankful that I felt wise

& winked eye to my mind

thankful that though I know my judgment

really judges deeper and wider,

unlike the pigs and sheep I don’t

insist my judgement is better

 

 

 

 

◄ THE FIRE-DANCE

FOUR POEMS FROM THE SUNSET CHILD ►

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