Works and Days of Division – 29 poems by Martyn Crucefix
Drawing on two disparate sources, this sequence of mongrel-bred poems has been written to respond to the historical moment in this most disunited kingdom. Hesiod’s Works and Days – probably the oldest poem in the Western canon – is a poem driven by a dispute between brothers. The so-called vacana poems originate in the bhakti religious protest movements in 10-12th century India. Through plain language, repetition and refrain, they offer praise to the god, Siva, though they also express personal anger, puzzlement, even despair. Dear reader – if you like what you find here, please share the poems as widely as you can (no copyright restrictions). Or follow this blog for future postings. Bridges need building.
Friday 22.03.2019
‘after the spinning’
after the spinning of the deliberately slowed download
the newly re-built forecourt
after the attic space being cleared in the absence
of both your parents
after you had unearthed the urn containing her ashes
the clingfilm runs out
after the blackening of London’s billions of bricks
after the whine of the delicates wash
after the fallen stock van arrives at the foot of the valley
after it winches two sheep corpses
up its ramp one hank of blown wool remaining
in the lay-by to cast a pall
over the next six hours
after her learning how to balance on two wheels
after learning to cross the road safely
after the square root and the route of the vagus
after her parents’ row behind the steering wheel
after the announcement about who she must love
after this and still finding bridges down
after all this to find a sense of water running still
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