Friday 26 May 2017

Poetry Friday 47

Poetry Friday 47
For audio click here

Reflecting on a week of atrocity and a fortress city. As Cardiff barricades itself in to prepare for the Champions’ League Final in the wake of the Manchester bomb, I wonder how long before we see Marshall Law by default on the streets of Britain.

Urban Cleansing
Guns,
camouflage,
barriers,
stop and search,
restrictions in the name of freedom.
“We’re protecting you
with police and soldiers - visible deterrents.”
But in the shadows
they lurk,
not in uniforms
or hi-vis vests.
no ID cards,
not terrorists or criminals but
the ones authorised
to cleanse the city
of undesirables.

They said
They said
it’s only for the football,
to ensure Cardiff’s biggest event
would progress peacefully.
We understood.
They said
in the wake of recent events
we’ll keep the security measures
a little while longer.
We understood.
They said
don’t you feel safe
with soldiers on the streets
and police checking your movements?
We didn't understand,

But we no longer had a choice.

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