The Place of Feelings

Personal Reflection 1 Minute

A couple of weeks ago, I listened to British Psychotherapist, Philippa Perry, interviewed on ABC’s Conversations. She made a passing remark about BREXIT and it has been mulling in my head ever since. I have tried to turn it into a poem. Let me know what you think.

Feelings considered 
inefficient & discounted swiftly 
– high pitched, soft, too target slow.
Inappropriate - board room dippy,
it’s not the business world we know.  

Steel and grit are the business winners.
Toughened glass our office towers,
hardwood desks, and glistening tiles 
all in favour titanium eyeballs 
cymbal crash and tight, small smiles.

But what if… says one psychiatrist
refers to BREXIT – the referendum -
voters’ feelings unacknowledged, one part
cornered by Zuckerberg henchmen - 
market prices the very bloodless heart.

What if there had been real conversation?
Discontent hung out like old blankets
for airing under public scrutiny’s nose
There and shared and sniff-test compared
leaving space where understanding grows.

Feelings considered, 
real as any boardroom table, inevitably 
finding footings in times to come
full of fear and fierce as fire
where bloody hearts still dare to thrum.

Published by abigfatcanofworms

We all walk in the dark. But if we hold hands, perhaps the dark won't be as scary.

Published

17 thoughts on “The Place of Feelings”

  1. I admire the artistry of the form; the intrinsica requires a little unpacking ; I get that there is much popular rage which has not been sufficiently ‘aired’ and a day of reckoning will come; love the ending:’where bloody hearts still dare to thrum’

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  2. I think the conversation has always been directed by those who stand to gain from it going their way. ‘It’s a sad, sad situation…and it’s getting more and more absurd…’ Too late to say sorry now though!

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    1. Ok. Yeah. I think the form I have chosen has made me try to condense things a bit too much. Initially it didn’t rhyme but when I read it out loud the flow was terrible. So then I added rhyme to help with rhythm. But I had to manufacture things a bit.

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      4. Oh. Yeah. It was definitely interesting. But I think I need to work harder on the poem. I am trying to say that feelings are discounted at so many levels in society. From way back women have been considered too emotional for business. Men have had to hide their feelings. But this psycho therapist was saying that they are essential in resolving disputes. Facts don’t always get you there.

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  5. Not an easy read, but I get that there should be real conversation in politics. All we ever seem to have is two sides taking entrenched views and bad mouthing the other side. This doesn’t only apply to Brexit, it’s the same with most political issues.

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  6. What a powerful piece of two separate boardrooms and the silent dissent of the first replaces with aired out ribs. May really be my favorite of your pieces so far. I like the conversational tone, and the eating of the rugs matching the beating of the hearts. It’s a masterpiece. Well-done.

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