The Other Side

And he turned around like he was going to hit me, but he didn't because this other cop stopped him…All of a sudden that was a very revealing moment to me. All of my life police had been on my side. I didn't think of it that way, but police didn't bother you, you know, in the world where I grew up. All of a sudden I realized that I was on the other side. - Anne Braden

Welcome to the other side

It's been here the whole time

You've been happy where you were

With your existence not a crime

But now you've seen how things are

You're seen the truth behind the curtain

I know that you want to return

To a life that was much more certain

But this world does not go away

Just because you forget it's here

Those in this world still live with pain

With injustice and with fear

You can take up this fight

And try to make things better

Talk. Learn. Protest. 

Rewrite every unjust word and letter.

You have just joined this battle

But the struggle is far from new

Better get ready now

There's a lifetime of this to go through

For the pain may be age-old

But so is the hope of future change

The idea of the world that can be

Is both wonderful and strange

Do not abandon this cause

When it is no longer the favour of the day

Fight so that the other side

Is no longer so far away

In every age, no matter how cruel the oppression carried on by those in power, there have been those who struggled for a different world. I believe this is the genius of humankind, the thing that makes us half divine: the fact that some human beings can envision a world that has never existed. - Anne Braden

I'm tired

I am tired of it all

I'm tired 

of work

of feeling like I'm never done

of feeling like I'm always behind

of the voice inside my head telling me I'm not good enough

I'm tired 

of politics

of people putting party before philosophy

of politicians putting ego before their country

of there being no consequence for lies

I'm tired

of injustice

of reading about continued imbalance

of unfairness in the world

of power being used for an imperfect status quo

I'm tired 

of ignorance

of people not holding themselves to a high standard

of those who think years of research is a conspiracy

of constantly having to double guess myself around confident fools

I'm tired 

of radical individualism

of people just looking out for themselves

of folk who don't realise the hardship of others

of the lack of empathy

I'm tired 

of it 

all

And yet

I'm inspired 

by those who keep awake

by those who keep going

by those who have not given up

by those who are still passionate

And so
I may 

rest a little first

But
I know
I'm not

done

Note: This was written while I was in the middle of my corrections, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, and at the start of the BLM movement gaining traction in the UK (although obviously the issues surrounding it had and indeed the movement itself had been present for a while). I was feeling run down, and feeling very small compared to the world. I was chatting to people and trying to do things to help my mental health, but I'm keeping the poem as an honest reflection of the exhaustion I was feeling at the world.

Sport is a Fantasy

Sport is one of life's most wonderful fantasies
And it's time to stop pretending otherwise
That the physical pursuit of arbitrary rules
Is nothing more than fantastic lies.

Fantasies make you believe foolish tales
Of course the world is not about to end
Yet you believe in the smallest heroes
And invest in the great game of pretend

What the best fantasies do
Is teach you things about who you are
That you can be the one to step up
Even if the situation is bizarre

Here then, is a toast to Sport
The most fantastic author of all
Who makes us hold our breath
As we watch the flight of a ball

Sport makes us think it really matters
If we really can jump 1cm higher than the rest
Whether we can keep our toes inside the line
Or wield a bat with great finesse

More than society will often allow
We ride the great emotions
We'll yell and scream and dance and shout
We follow with devotion

Unless, of course, we step into the story
And insert ourselves into the page
Step a foot upon the pitch
Enclosed within the chalky cage

This is when we feel the most
And when we learn the most as well
How much do we really want this?
Are we prepared to go through hell?

To get up early, train til late
We learn the limit of our power
We train for days, for weeks and more
To perform for just an hour

We endure injury and physio
We endure the wind and rain
We buy into this awesome tale
We put up with the pain

Just so we can find a happy ending
To the current chapter, at least
It requires our inner hero
But also our inner beast

Sport has its ups, sport has it's down
It can be tough and cold
It tells the tale of champions
And the sadness of growing old

You must take it all Sport has to offer,
To see how the story plays
Yes, Sport is but a fantasy
And I mean that in the best of ways

Blank Canvas

Here, a blank canvas
Use it well.
You can be patient
Take time. Dwell.

But, eventually
Make your mark
Strike the white
With some dark

Add your contrast
To the page
Strike precise
Not with rage

Take this sheet
Make it your own
Take this nothing
Make it known

You will learn
To make space appear
New blank slates
There and here

If one day you've
a canvas to spare
Give it forward
if you dare

Let another thrive
In what they do
But this blank canvas
I give to you.