happening at a riot near you
Rosemary at Poets & Storytellers United would like us to be inspired by the phrase, ‘broken glass crunching under the boot steps', and write a poem or story about it.
digital montage by dsnake1 with GIMP
happening at a riot near you
Juan get back into the house!
but Juan watch the sergeant raise his baton
a row of riot guns raise like palisades
the arcs of the smoke actually graceful
the cartridges snaking, rolling
between cars
sneakers
trash bins
barricades
and
run ning feet
and courage is not a word to say
when the air wants to tear out your eyes
your lungs.
the soldiers raise their shields and batons
their boots in step
in step
the phalanx rolls on
metal teeth of a meat grinder
swish cruch crunch bish craack
Juan wants to be a man
but Juan is still a boy
I am a boy! I AM A BOY!
even the blackbirds rise like shrapnel and flee
broken glass crunching under the boot steps
blood faithfully follows the cracks in the asphalt.
06/07/2023
**********
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Ohio
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2023
happening at a riot near you
Juan get back into the house!
but Juan watch the sergeant raise his baton
a row of riot guns raise like palisades
the arcs of the smoke actually graceful
the cartridges snaking, rolling
between cars
sneakers
trash bins
barricades
and
run ning feet
and courage is not a word to say
when the air wants to tear out your eyes
your lungs.
the soldiers raise their shields and batons
their boots in step
in step
the phalanx rolls on
metal teeth of a meat grinder
swish cruch crunch bish craack
Juan wants to be a man
but Juan is still a boy
I am a boy! I AM A BOY!
even the blackbirds rise like shrapnel and flee
broken glass crunching under the boot steps
blood faithfully follows the cracks in the asphalt.
06/07/2023
**********
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Ohio
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2023
Labels: 2000's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, police, protest, social issues, soldiers, urban, violence
posted by dsnake1 at 5:48 AM
15 Comments:
I may still be a boy also even though the count of years makes me elderly. Your write brings memories, I've only been in one riot, back in panty raid days of the late 50's. No law followed us back onto the campus, I am sure they watched while pummeling down main street. Somewhere waiting to be rediscovered I have a souvenir of that one.
..
Absolutely marvellous this one!!! and courage is not a word to say
when the air wants to tear out your eyes
your lungs.... and the last lines.. the poem was so strong and visual...loved it.
Too sad and horrifying – and much too often a reality.
That was powerful. It's sadly telling that your labels include so many decades, as so little changes.
Jim,
You have been a pretty naughty boy in your younger days...
I am sure most of us are like that too in our school days.
Rajani,
Thank you!
I am glad you like the imagery. :)
Rosemary,
Thank you!
I was thinking about the protests against a regime in a South-East Asian country when I was writing this. It was pretty bloody... :(
Thank you, Lisa.
Yes, pretty much have not change. There will always be suppressive regimes, unpopular policies and differences of opinions. :(
Sad to think of every generation having its own "Ohio."
The Boys .. the boys, too many of them sacrificed on the alter of protest. An awesome write!!!
Priscilla,
Thank you.
There will always be other Kent States. And much worst ones. The one in Watts in '65. Our racial riots in '64 and '69. Gwangju in South Korea, '85, and the mother of them all, Tiananmen Square. And there will be others in the future. :(
Helen,
Yes, too many... :(
Heartbreaking imagery I wish weren't much too real. This one is going to stay wit me for a while--the crushing glass, the blood...
Thank you, Magaly!
Yeah, but in a world of a billion different opinions, this is bound to happen... :(
When a boy grows in such situations, the effect on him ...what will it be. I sincerely hope he turns into a wonderful man... This is so touching
As a boy, I witnessed such a riot when i was in my early teens. I do not then understand what race and religion can make the same countrymen go out onto the streets and fight each other. I now know the reasons can be more complex.
Powerful writing! I love the last two lines.
Thank you, Sara! :)
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