DRIFTWOOD (LIVES)
FOR AYLAN, GALIP AND REHAN KURDI

“Showering people with food and clothing and all the rest of it may make you feel good, but actually you’re keeping them in that camp when they don’t need to be there.” David Davies MP for Monmouth

CAST OUT

WASHED UP

SPAT UPON

FROM AN INDIFFERENT LAND

SPLINTERED LIVES

DREAM OF REBUILDING TOMORROW

SAIL AWAY

DOORS FROM WALLS

PEACE FROM SORROW

HAMMERED

NAILED

TRAPPED

IN AIRLESS HOLDS

BENEATH THE ENDLESS BLUE SKY

HOLDING ON, HOLDING ON

FROM SPACE THE OCEANS SPAN LIKE BIRDFLIGHT

BUT IN THE COAL BLACK EMPTINESS

MANACLES ARE SERVED

AS THE WATER SWALLOWS THE DETRITUS OF A DREAM

LIKE PLANKTON

THEY WALK THE PLANK

THEY WALK THE PLANK

AS ALL INCLUSIVE HOLIDAYS ARE ENJOYED AND 

ALL UCANEAT BUFFETS ARE GORGED

AND AZURE SWIMMING POOL SELFIES

SHARED ON FACEBOOK

TINY MOUTHS

INGEST SALT WATER

AND FALL INTO BLACK UNCONSCIOUSNESS

SO UNPREPARED TO DIE

DRIFT DRIFT

LOOK AWAY LOOK AWAY

OUR BORDERS PROTECT US FROM THIS

OUR BORDERS LEGITIMISE THIS

AS THE WAVES BRING IN

WHAT THE WORLD DISCARDED

RETURNING IDEALS TO

THE UNFORGIVING LAND

POLKA DOT DRESSES AND

FRESH NAPPIES

WASHED UP ON THE SAND

TIDEWRACKED AND SOULWRECKED

A MUTINY OF MANKIND

THIS TREMBLING TIMBER OF THOUGHTSTABBING THOUGHTLESSNESS

A BLACK PARADE OF WOULD BE COFFINS

DRIFT

ONTO DESERTED HOLIDAYMADE BEACHES

THE HEADLINE SAYS ' MIGRANTS'

I SEE WOMEN MEN AND CHILDREN

"OWING TO A WELL-FOUNDED FEAR OF BEING PERSECUTED FOR REASONS OF RACE, RELIGION, NATIONALITY, MEMBERSHIP OF A PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUP OR POLITICAL OPINION, IS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY OF THEIR NATIONALITY, AND IS UNABLE TO, OR OWING TO SUCH FEAR, IS UNWILLING TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE PROTECTION OF THAT COUNTRY."

IN OTHER WORDS

REFUGEES

IN OTHER WORDS

OUR COMMON HUMANITY 

YOU                         AND            ME

 FLOTSAM 

WASHED UP

CAST OUT

SKIN TIDES OF SADNESS

 PERHAPS

 A KIND OF KINDLING

TO SET FIRE

TO IGNORANCE, BORDERS AND AP           A    

THY

PUBLISHED WORKS

 

DARKNESS IS WHERE
THE STARS ARE

The book that had Stephen Green and Christian Voice on their knees praying for the redemption for the author. Personal whispers and societal screams.

'These poems engage
and enrage'
– Peter Tatchell

 

FUSE

Selected poetry and the full text of Everything Must Go & Unprotected Sex.

'Very powerful stuff'
– Harold Pinter

VIEW IN THE SHOP