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Pig-headed: a poetry post


I've been poetically absent for a while. I've been reeling in the wake of Brexit, which I did not see coming, and which has left me grieving for the Britain I thought I knew. I know that the leavers reckon we remainers should get over it and move on, but that blase attitude is what allowed them to vote leave in the first place. For me, being part of Europe is an important part of my identity and how I want to live my life. I'd much rather be part of Europe than Britain. Especially this Britain, this one that has shown itself to be racist and nasty and to have no compassion for the rest of humanity. For a while there I was anticipating a second anarchy, and I'm impressed that Theresa May was willing to pick up the poisoned chalice of leadership at this time. So far she's doing it with aplomb (apart from the whole keeping nuclear bombs thing, but that insanity is not only her doing). Still. I would rather leave Britain than leave Europe, and I haven't been able to be coherent about the whole situation up until now. Perhaps I'm still not. I've tried to fit some thoughts into Spenserian Stanza to straighten my head. The result is 'Pig-headed'.

 Pig-headed

 Pig-headed I refuse to recognise
the new reality which now comes clear.
Pig-headedness was something I despised -
an obstinate refusal of the year.
I'd thought of foolish men with foolish fear;
of those you might believe would fuck a pig.
I thought of those that could not see that we're
intrinsically human. Love is big.
I pull my head out of the sand - the head of pig.

 I wouldn't see that compassion was dead,
and still have tears to find that I was wrong.
And now I'm searching for a way ahead,
although I fear the journey may be long;
to find a place where I feel I belong:
a way out of this harsh reality
so we can join together, standing strong.
I fear we need to rip up our country
or leave the ship and find a place where we can be.
© Cara L McKee 26/7/16


Meanwhile, I'm admiring the work of Nicola Sturgeon, in trying to get we Scots out of this mess (not of our choosing), and I'm dropping 'subtle' hints about getting out of dodge. 

We have been enjoying a particularly soggy (again, and there's another reason to leave) summer holiday so far and cannot wait for our Barcelona house swap later this week. And on the work front I have been sending my stuff out into the world and collecting stacks of rejections. I keep reminding myself that everyone got lots of rejections (and ignoring the little voice telling me I'm rubbish). 

Apart from all that, and having lots of fun with the kids (so much crafting on these soggy days, and a lovely holiday in Yorkshire/Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire), I have been mainly playing Fallen London, attempting to learn Finnish and Spanish on language learning apps (I will be dropping Spanish after Barcelona, Finnish is way more fun), and watching Dark Matter, which is working on being nearly as good as Firefly.

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