A Couple Of Poems ...

A couple of poems for you about the first recorded murder in The Bible, which happened to be between brothers (sticking to my usual cheery themes). They are a result of some writing I am doing in readiness for the Greenbelt Festival.


Abel

Cutting firstborn lambs
from their mothers,
you soothe their bleating
before silencing them quickly
and arranging the portions
on an altar to your God.

Your brother steps out from your shadow,
severs the family tie,
breaks you.
Lost decades shimmer
on a scarlet pool at his feet
alongside an unclaimed love,
and the face of your firstborn.

May the stench of you
turn your God’s head,
the stain of you
catch His eye.




Cain

Not left over fruit
or dry vegetables;
this sacrifice is precious -
doused in blame,
kindled with jealousy,
sparked to flame by failure
as rough and bitter
as the skin on your palms.

The flock is spared
as a shepherd’s body is broken -
a brother -
the ground sipping blood
for the first time.

Crumbling in one of your fields,
only to rise in dust that
will powder your sweating brow,
dry the back of your throat

We attended a consultation with our oncologist yesterday, braced as we always are for bad news. Just as well, because it was bad news. Recent results and examinations suggest that the cancer has spread to a new site in my pelvis. It will become clear exactly how bad this is when I have a scan on 27th August. This won't necessarily kick-start the next dreaded course of chemo, but at the first sign that this new development is continuing to grow, I will be back on the drip. Our usual method of coping with this sort of news is to sink for a few days and then, hopefully, to re-surface. We have good people around us and I am sure we will be fine. So, for those of you who pray - how do I avoid going onto the horrible chemo? If the scan shows that my other cancer sites have stayed the same and if this new site stays small or recedes (which apparently, it might), then I will probably stay off the chemo. I really want that. Once this chemo has run its course there is a possibility of running it again with another infusion to up its strength, but thereafter I think we are running out of options. I've had about as much radiotherapy as they dare give me (I think this is the case, based on recent conversations with the oncologist.)

So there we go. We are off on holiday in just over a week - France. Might we see the sun? We'd better because getting to France isn't cheap! Then I am off to the Greenbelt Festival with my annual promise of attending lots of edifying seminars but knowing deep down I will be resident in the Tiny Tea Tent. The poetry is coming along well and when I write one that will 'fit' the blog I promise to post it up.

Thanks again for visiting the blog and for ongoing support to Mary and I.
Here is Joel wandering free in The Lakes ...