crude wooden tripods
stand
tethered human pendulums
swinging amongst
fumes and fuming
damming politicians
and incandescent commuters
damming the city’s arteries
a timely attack
the heart on the hill*
bloodless
while the body rages
taut fists enacting
death throes
of a planet in need
*Australia’s Parliament House is commonly referred to as “the house on the hill”
This poem refers to a Protest by “Extinction Rebellion” last week in which they cut off all roads to the centre of Canberra on a day when National Parliament was supposed to be sitting.
Written for msjadeli’s dVerse prompt – Quadrille 133 – “Stand”
Out of the Cave 
This says it all:
“while the body rages
taut fists enacting
death throes
of a planet in need”
This is how we fuck up the planet little by little and it’s become so much, we can’t reverse it. You depict this with eloquence and a sense of disappointment of the world and the people in power (who actually have the power to help it) failing us all the same in different ways. Brilliantly penned, Worms. ❤ As always, I love how you weave imagery together throughout your words, it's stunning and inspiring.
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Thanks, Lucy. If I was braver I am almost angry enough to join extinction rebellion. But I am a complete wimp. Terrified of authority. Always have been.
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ER is a brilliant example of an issue worth thinking about, I feel. Just as in, how justified is it?
I started off with the view that “I agree with them but they shouldn’t disrupt third-parties” but am now coming more and more to fit with them, because there isn’t really such a thing as a third party, not on this issue.
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Nicely put. 👍👍. I have basically made the same journey.
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Wow, Worms… this is scathing. I’d be afraid of you if I were a politician!
❤
David
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It wasn’t intended as a threat. The bloodless thing was part of the metaphor of the heart and the arteries. Perhaps I need to work on it. You see the politicians are stick in the traffic so the blood can’t get to the heart. Does that make sense?
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Brilliant poem Worms. I am very moderate in my politics, but on climate change I do think ER’s way of protesting is valid. Somebody has to make our complacent administrations act rather than fobbing us off with platitudes! 😒
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Yes. I couldn’t agree more!
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“damming politicians
and incandescent commuters
damming the city’s arteries”
Such great lines. The metaphor really works!
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I admire the courage of the activists who use ways to keep the issue in the consciousness of the masses. “tethered human pendulums” that tick-tock that time is passing and urgency is needed.
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Thank you. It was an inspiring prompt.
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You’re welcome and thanks (we can do this all day 😉
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“A planet in need” ~~~~ truer words never written/spoken. Thank you for educating us as to what is happening Down Under. Well done.
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Reblogged this on Nelsapy.
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Thank you!
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A sobering in-your-face write!
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I think you’ve conveyed the fury very well and , may I say, succinctly 🙂
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Excellent. 😊
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this brims with passion and power. well done!
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Many thanks! 😊
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I feel the frustration behind the pen (or keyboard). The “heart on the hill” needs some resuscitation.
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Brilliant!
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Although the protesters are branded as cranks and disrupters, they could actually be our last line of defence against the corrupt politicians who try to silence them.
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Indeed!
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