A Street Beyond Stokes Croft

Even though you wear that green sweatshirt,
you swore always brought you good luck -
police drag you across shattered blue asphalt, broken glass
through lines of frenzied police lights, whirling sirens,

batons hammering your soft flesh. Evict you. 
The one who has your foot, torques it,
forces your ankle against the natural logic of bone.
Your limbs are lacerated on a depleted earth.

The crowd suffers a paralysis of breath.

I muse over the life narrative that brought you here,

think how people labelled you, Traveller, dirty gypsy b*****d.

I know now this isn't just about Tescos opening,

outcompeting a few, small grocery stores, corner shops

but people arrested in an ever darkening corner of society.

the closing of all avenues in their lives,

recession; how the suited, batoned men,
treat the lowest strata of society, force them to make fists.

Author's Note

http://newsblogged.com/video-bristol-riot-stokes-croft-%E2%80%9Ctelepathic-heights%E2%80%9D-squatters-eviction-youtube

Reviews

[arbitrary jane]

i am enamored of the way you sing the songs of the voiceless. keeping us transfixed by reality in all of its many faces; both beautiful and ugly. the picture you create here is complete. i am driven to understanding by the force of your words.
it's that last line. 'force them to make fists' ... i know so many for whom that is, absolutely the only option. i am all admiration for your taking up of arms, each time you put pen to paper.

[Blue Moon Ice Cream]

A few incorrectly placed commas, but this is outstanding nevertheless. I like the angle from which you told this story.

[Siddhartha]

Oh, you bring out the pain and the resolve to break out of all the repression and oppression. Do you write prose/fiction as well. You have got fantastic narrative power.

[Phibby Venable]

this is so intense and fascinating, your work always brings us to awareness
esp of the injustice and cruelty that abounds. i love the lucky shirt and the
vivid imagery. i felt like i was there. heartbreaking reminder of small minds
with large power.