THE ISLANDER - (poem for #audiomo Day 29)
The Islander
Chapter One
He could have been on Sherkin, Inishbofin, Skelligs or even Rathlin...
He was an outlaw, cast away from the land,
away from his people.
His face didn’t fit,
his family were not from the right side of town.
There was no time for him, he could rot there.
Eventually his spirit would break,
he would comply, he would conform,
he would be broken
- or so they thought...
It would teach them,
it would show them not to meddle with our family,
not to get above themselves.
Yea, 27 winters on Sherkin
27 springs on the Skelligs
27 summers on Rathlin
27 years of nightmares on any island you fancy.
It was good to keep him there, disappeared.
Our family had need of safety,
his family were dangerous,
thugs, revolutionaries, communists, rapists.
oh yea, uncouth, uncivilised, Untermenschen.
Chapter Two
Our family is special,
we have survived our own wars.
We’re used to feeling superior
Our family before all families
our tribe before all tribes
Our village the white man’s burden
Everyman is an island
We have not balked at blood sacrifice
We have buried our enemies in unmarked graves
- even displayed corpses to teach families how to behave themselves
We survived war against an Empire of superior force - that gave us backbone.
That gave us good enough reason to turn the tables on families of inferior beings.
Oh yes, our family is special - forever.
Chapter Three
You will not leave that island
You will languish in your dreams
You will scratch your balls
You will scrape the fleas in your hair
You will freeze your bollocks off.
We will control you.
When we let you out - it will be to die.
Our family is ordained to carry the burden of ruling this land.
Yes, your family is bigger than our family
Your family’s so big it’s disgusting.
Your people are everywhere - but your people are worthless
- we’ve made sure of that.
The sea the sea the sea
the waves the wind, the ocean, the cold
the fish the seaweed the waves the wind the cold the ocean
the seaweed the waves the wind the cold the ocean the seaweed
Eat your heart out Islandman - we have you.
Oh yes, we’ve had you now for 27 years.
How did you pull through? (continued in audio)
#audiomo