I hope you have a Merry Christmas, no matter what you're doing.
I want to thank you for your support throughout the year, whether you commented, or shared something or even only read a few poems or articles, I appreciate it. There is so much demand for our attention these days, and with so much crap in the airspace, it's easy to become distracted and waste our time. I hope I haven't wasted yours.
Yours
Anthony
ps
A couple of very good friends made the finalists at Tropfest this year and won an award.
It's less than 4 minutes and I urge you to check it out. Here.
Look at it as a Xmas present.
;) Cheers
I wrote this the day the siege ended (16.12.14), before I really knew about the Pakistani massacre, which was by far a more horrific event, but which in no way diminishes the horror of the Sydney siege. All of the politics and bullshit aside, there is the human element which should never be overlooked.
(On a personal note, my daughter's mother was only a few blocks away and was in lockdown at her work. It was quite worrying, especially in the early hours when nobody knew what was taking place.)
Poem for the people
of the Sydney siege
I
A bright Monday morning
Like many others
Aside from the expectant hum
Of a looming Christmas
And the purpose laden crowds.
When a spectre emerges
A court jester escapee
Driven and deranged
Seizes the day
Blocking out the sun.
The night draws its cloak around us
Closing off options
Shutting out the world
Narrowing all hope
To this.
The only place left on earth
The last place
To wish to be.
When familiar adored faces
Beam elsewhere
Awaiting
The brush of fingers – a trail
The soothing, all-encompassing joy
Of a mere hug
A paradise lost
And all that has ever mattered…
Will it come again?
A forgotten land
A discarded map
History rewritten
To encapsulate the new theme
The alternate slant of light
With a permanent stain
The dark brutality strikes
To alter the spectrum
For us all
With the fallen
Left in its wake.
II
I’ll wait for you alone
By a tree
A river
A front door
I’ll meet you there
In that place
Far from here
In tomorrow
Or yesterday
A time alternate
It matters not
Envelop me
And I’ll commit a lifetime.
Rest In Peace
Thoughts with the victims and their families and all those held hostage that day.
Chvrches - Strong Hand was an extra track on the Special Edition version of their 2013 album, which wasn't released until early 2014. Though not officially a single, it should have been.
The Kassassin Street Band - The Royal Handkerchief Ballet
No video produced unfortunately, so here's another of their songs.
Spoon - Do You
Tears for Fears - My Girls
A cover but it's hard to deny how effective it is. Their last album ('05) was brilliant but long overdue for new material. This proves they can still cut it.
Future Islands - Seasons-Waiting on You
Chvrches, Tears for Fears and Kassassin Street Band are from the UK, the others are from the U.S.
There wasn't much difference between the Top Ten and the next 10-20 songs. I don't believe in certain music being that much better than others. Favourites are individualistic in nature. Yet I recommend you check them out if you like what I displayed here. There's always great music; some years, it's just harder to find.
Thanks and cheers.
In good company with:
Perfume Genius - Queen
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
Seasurfer - We Run
Delta Spirit - From now on
David Gray - Mutineers
Sereialarm - Miragem (Download their album for free here.)
Spotlight Kid - A Minor Character
Miracle Fortress - Even In America
One of These Days - My Name is You
Stars - No one is lost
Screaming Maldini - Islands
Suntalk - Darkness
The Naked and Famous - A Stillness
The Flaming Lips - Think Like A Machine, Not A Boy
Sounds like Sunset - Somebody like you
Please share if you like it. It's never easy getting the words out there. One Page is a good publication too. They offer a voice for the underdog. With the amount of snobbery in the Australian Literary scene (and the world in general), God knows we need it. Cheers