70 chairs
history hangs in this square
it rests in the iron and bronze
and loiters in between
the memories of the abandoned
furniture, suitcases, bodies
of those deported and murdered.
Now, 70 over - sized chairs
hovering on wooden plinths
seat 70000 souls.
Immortalised.
It is a silent place
but you can hear their voices shouting
you hear them shouting everywhere
echoing through the mouths of the living.
Those mothers, leaving push-chairs at the border
the tram drivers who will charge nothing
families opening their homes
to those crossing the border
driven from their own.
The heroes of Heroes Square.
sunflower seeds
Take these seeds
tear - shaped, tender
put them in your pocket
and when you lie down
upon this earth
the seeds will sprout -
remember Clytie,
though betrayed
still she grew
no need
for food and water.
These too will stand
proud
turning their faces
to follow
Helios’ chariot across
the sky
bright heliotropes
each of your
thousand florets
is their own sun
Each a bright hope
A metamorphosis.
how to fly a kite for Persephone
Some
vernal morn
uproot your toes
replant them one by one
in viridescent fields
pluck a poppy’s
heart - pin
it to a
breeze
and
fly
it
in
the
blue
to
P
e
r
s
e
p
h
o
n
e
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