Monday, 28 March 2016

"A Question Of When" by Mark Barry - 3 of 3

A Question Of When

How great was my sin then?
You were so taken aback!
Did my family out-do yours this time   
In the shit-for-brains count? 

How about the letter you sent
The things you said to friends
Who now think 
They used to know me

This means war…
Cry havoc and let loose the dogs…
Hell hath no fury…
I’m living the fucking cliché!

What am I looking for?
Why do I need you to make me worthy?
Who has the power to solve this?
The sweet grace to forgive?

We used to work together
We used to tough it out 
But you raised more than your voice 
And I more than race

Salman Rushdie is on tele again 
Hunted for writing a book 
Intransigents hounding him
With their sickening religious bile

Another program shows a glass box
With a coiled snake and a titmouse
The titmouse dodges and parries
As the shadow of the serpent rises up

Incapable of leniency now,
The monster hisses before it strikes -
It’s not a question of how
It’s just a question of when...


Arc Of A Love Affair
Number 3 in a set of 3 poems
Mark Barry and Paris Shah

March/April 2006

No comments: