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Frances Macaulay Forde
Biography
Dieback
between Pinjarra
and Waroona
jarrahs and tuarts
evening dressed
fluff their leaf skirts
expose naked arms
reaching up
appealing
to the endless sky
for a cure
'Dieback' ~ Published P65 - Sept 06 - Poets Union Inc. Anthology 2006
Live Here On Sky
6th August 2005
A capsule of lighted hope lay in the deep black depths,
seven Russian submariners trapped on the Pacific floor.
Although “satisfactory” in their red striped white sub,
freeze as only hours of oxygen remain. Kursk memories
flood Moscow, but she pleads straight away for US
and UK Super Scorpios who help raise the vessel to rescue
depth – averting another disaster. But no one can help
the Discovery’s seven in their cocoon of light circling
our world in un-ending space. They wait in zero gravity,
remove foam chips, listen to Beatles and pray. The world held
a collective breath before touchdown as NASA remembered
the awesome, fiery power of Columbia’s broken tile.
'Live Here On Sky' ~ Published P65 - Sept 06 -
Poets Union Inc. Anthology 2006
On Being Upwardly Mobile
D’you consider yourself whole or do you
like sparkling glass-clad city towers
rely on reflection to make you beautiful?
D’you believe waiting for the red light to change,
you can’t; this is it – everyday monotony
brilliantly controlled by a little green man?
D’you ever look down and notice those
who chalk the sidewalk or juggle chainsaws,
probably make more than you or I?
D’you sometimes stand in a sea of black clothing,
usual platform place, waiting to catch a seat,
and consider the possibility of pushing in?
D’you think that those who always insist
on entering first, ever look back
except to bask in their own reflection?
'On Being Upwardly Mobile' ~ Published in
'The Word Is Out' Poetry Journal Issue 2. 2006
An Easter Tragedy
"Eddie Cross" from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, regularly (at great personal risk) sends newsletters
to family and friends telling them truthfully, about the state of his existence in times of terrible hardship
A newsletter sent by Eddie Cross from Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) on 2nd April 2007 which
appeared on the Great North Road Bulletin Board, inspired this poem.
At the Magistrate’s Court in Harare, a crowd gathered outside
weeping for men and women who carry an invisible cross.
Thousands have suffered at the hands of baton-wielding zealots,
masquerading as Police, in a land where lives have little price.
Is this commercialism gone mad? Trading in muscle and limbs
feeding their families with the blood of countrymen and women?
Who weeps for Mugabe ~ he who styles himself after Jesus continually
resurrected, who pretends to heave his country away from Colonial roots?
Why should we cry for a Chinese Palace, wifely shopping sprees in Paris;
a man protected from his own voters by his army of security enforcers?
His people no longer believe he leads for them ~ have seen how he dictates,
feathers his own nest and the cronies he keeps very close ~ walled in by sin.
How long will millions of starving, beaten people wait for their turn at life,
their chance to eat, to sleep peacefully in a khaya built in prosperity and peace?
Will the tears shed this Easter encourage the world to stand up for Zimbabwe?
'An Easter Tragedy' the featured poem on The Scruffy Dog Review SPRING 2007 - Issue 7 -
A bi-monthly electronic literary magazine out of Edinburgh, Scotland.
All Copyright © Frances Macaulay Forde 2007
All rights reserved.
Send private comments to author: frances@francesmacaulayforde.com
Visit The short film of my script http://www.francesmacaulayforde.com/LoveYouMum.html" 'Love You Mum'
2007 and another 7 times for the YAP Awards ~ WINNER of BEST FILM & BEST PERFORMANCE more here
http://www.francesmacaulayforde.com & www.francesmacaulayforde.com/MyBlog.html
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