EXCAVATION
(Of a Spanish Civil War Atrocity)
Kevin Russell-Pavier
Back then, there was just an ordinary woman,
Standing in the crowd; just a single mother
Cradling the ragged bundle of her baby
In her arms, letting it suckle at the shrivelled breast;
A woman squinting up too – her mesh of crow’s feet
Trying to strain a blessing from the enigma of the heat
And the drone of megaphone utopia. In fact,
What she was gifted from that mechanical flock
Of herrenvolk malevolence, was a broadcast plague
Of apocalyptic bombs, which quickly perpetrated
An empire of rubble; one presided over by
Automaton flies, quizzical lizards and a circling hawk.
Now, several generations further on,
Though there’s still heat pulsing from the sky
And the fresh renaissance of flies, hawks and lizards,
Nevertheless, there’s also the long pregnancy of shadows.
So that, archaeologists who expose the cover-up,
Plus those who explode the ruling mythology of monuments,
Are not too embarrassed to maintain,
As blessed vindication for their actions and their art,
That such sieved gestation gifts humanity
The grace of nourishment . . . from the source.
Kevin Russell-Pavier born in 1947 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England and educated mainly at Leeds Grammar School, then at various universities: Newcastle, Essex, University College, Dublin and King’s College, London University. He studied History Politics and Literature and then taught those subjects, plus Sociology, Art and Greek and Roman Culture at a variety of educational establishments: grammar school, colleges of further education and universities. He has always been stimulated by art, first as a painter, later as a writer. He feels that the creation and enjoyment of an aesthetic artifact gives value and purpose to life, making a person glad to exist and to be human. However, though an artist may give insights into aspects of life – social, political, religious etc., his chief business is to enchant; not to create pure poetry, because only a composer can do that; but, through words, images, symbols and rhythm to stir the imagination, to move hearts. Kevin’s poems can be reproduce by seeking permission first. Kevin can be contacted by email: russellpavier@talktalk.net. Kevin is a guest poet at FG.
First posted May 5, 2013 by FG