Red Eyes Day

Day 60
18 Mar 11

Red Nose Day is more like Red Eye Day,
by the end of the evening I am both punch-bored
and countersunk, wrung out, the images play
like needles across and in my eyes, I applaud
the rich and famous who dig deep, and wonder
why they don't do it more often? Often
the poorest give the most, they plunder
piggy banks while hard hearts soften
and bleed away like salt tears in rain.
And high above it all the cold, clear moon
shines its pitiless light across the skies.
It's getting late now, and soon
the white heartless disc will fade and disappear
like the malarial kids who were bitten to death
literally for the sake of five measly quid. Here
today, gone tomorrow, gone forever. Breath
hushed, heart stopped, hope gone. Dig deep
if you can. Before their parents are forced
to dig deep the graves where children endless sleep.