13 NOVEMBER SECOND CUMMINGS

Posted by: a.newspoet - Posted on:

HURRICANE ETA

HIT THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA A SECOND TIME

FLOODS   

LESS THAN A WEEK INTO ENGLAND’S SECOND LOCKDOWN     

A STORM RATTLED THE SPADS INSIDE DOWNING STREET      

SPAYED     

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO   

INSTALLING THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY  

WAS A KIND OF SECOND COMING     

BROUGHT HOME THE HUMAN REMAINS

FROM ALL THOSE UNMARKED GRAVES

IN FLANDERS AND FURTHER AFIELD  

WITHOUT THIS RITUAL 

AFTER WAR AMIDST INFLUENZA   

WOULD THE THOUSANDS FILING PAST HAVE RETAINED THEIR DIGNITY?

WASN’T THEIR SHARED SOLEMNITY AS IMPORTANT

AS THE TOMB ITSELF? 

MAYBE MORE WORN DOWN BY IT  

IF LEFT TO LIVE WITH LOSS BUT ONLY IN PRIVATE    

PRONE TO DESPERATION

IN CORROSIVE ISOLATION      

ALL TOO EASILY  OUR PRESENT DAY  

COULD TEACH THEM A THING OR TWO ABOUT THAT 

WISHING WE COULD RE-LEARN 
THE ART OF COMING TOGETHER     
YOURS TRULY    
THE NEWS POET