through all the noise of lights

As mentioned a couple of days ago; it’s National Poetry Day this coming Thursday 6th October - and as per last year I’m blipping the series of eight cards that the Scottish Poetry Library has produced ...

... I'm posting two each day, through until tomorrow.

And on Thursday 6th, I’ll blip my very favourite poem about this year’s theme: messages.

Here are the next two (as pictured) from Meg Bateman and Imtiaz Dharker:


Am Bogsa-Litrichean

Dh’fhan mo litir ris a’ phosta,
oidhche Shathairne, oidhche Dhòmhnaich,
ràinig i Dùn Èideann, chaidh a fosgladh,
sheas i greiseag air a’ phiàna;

Ach tha mo chridhe fhathast
mar am bogsa-litrichean tron oidhche –
crò-dhearg, do-fhaicsinneach,
làn fios nach gabh lìbhrigeadh.

---

The Pillar-Box

My card waited for the postman,
Saturday night, Sunday night,
arrived in Edinburgh, was opened,
stood a while on the piano;

But my heart is still
like the pillar-box through the night –
unseen, red-raw,
full of undeliverable messages.

---

Meg Bateman (1959 - )

---


Text

I am sending a message again.
Maybe you can’t hear it
through all the noise of lights
and the dangerous way things move
in that other city
where I think you are,
if I have the dates right, though
of course I could be wrong.

If you expected the message,
you would stand like this,
with your eyes open and focussed
on the screen, your ears closed.

The city I am in has lost
its volume control.
Every person in the place
is tuned to maximum.

Can you see the text?
Just to ask if you are safe
and well?

A phone shrills, a clock explodes,
in the next room, a TV switches on.
Everywhere, the sound of sirens, drills.
Cars screech, horns blare.

Where
are you?
Why have you stopped singing?

---

Imtiaz Dharker (1954 - )

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