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Coronavirus

Poetry of and for the crises

(12 Posts)
Whitewavemark2 Mon 20-Apr-20 08:38:43

Garden

In the beginning
the dead like the first flowers
for Adam were few

enough to name them
but soon they grew too many
the vast fields of them

Andrew McMillan

Hands

We clap at the darkness
I hearken for the sound
of my daughters small hands
but she is miles away...
though I can see her hands
when I put my head in my own

Carol Ann Duffy

NotSpaghetti Mon 20-Apr-20 08:51:14

I think there is so much doggerel out there now. Can’t believe what the BBC has been churning out!

Whitewavemark2 Mon 20-Apr-20 08:53:11

I take it you don’t approve notspag????

May7 Mon 20-Apr-20 09:46:42

Anthem
The birds they sang
At the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
Has passed away
Or what is yet to be
Yeah the wars they will
Be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
Bought and sold
And bought again
The dove is never free
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
Leonard Cohen

Ilovecheese Mon 20-Apr-20 09:50:47

Ring a ring 'o' roses
A pocket full of posies
A tissue a tissue
We all fall down

Whitewavemark2 Mon 20-Apr-20 09:59:07

? cheese

Nana3 Mon 20-Apr-20 10:15:30

May7
Thank you so much for the Leonard Cohen words.
You prompted me to watch him sing Anthem on YouTube London 2008.
The film of birds is stunning and moving, I recommend it to everyone

tiredoldwoman Mon 20-Apr-20 10:30:29

Yes, loved the Leonard Cohen one too .

tiredoldwoman Mon 20-Apr-20 10:30:29

Yes, loved the Leonard Cohen one too .

Eglantine21 Mon 20-Apr-20 10:32:47

Leonard Cohen for me too.

Northernandproud Mon 20-Apr-20 10:39:43

Confined to Barracks
We are all feeling very blue,
Wondering what the hell to do,
To boredom we can all attest,
Being constrained to house arrest.

Fear is stalking in the land,
All on hold the things we planned,
Social distance, panic buying,
Enough to make you give up trying.

But all things pass,
So give a grin,
Put up your feet, and pass the gin
Xx

NotSpaghetti Mon 20-Apr-20 11:48:22

Whitewavemark2 I think the BBC is calling doggerel poetry. That’s what I don’t like. It was really a comment on the BBC (radio 3,4,5 and the TV) as I’ve heard such utter dross in rhyming couplets recently.

There are so many amazing, challenging, wild, witty, subtle, thoughtful poets out there I just wish we would hear more of them/their work instead.
It’s not a comment on your post, only my own general thoughts about “lock down poetry”.
Every day a new and just as dreadful greeting card.... (are you listening, worst offender, 5live?)!
?