At a Poetry Recital

At a poetry reading

I went to a poetry recital

Famous voices throwing soul

Using auspicious words

Metaphor after metaphor

Chefs of their context

Dripping symbolic symbol

Mixing in their experience

The visions de resistance

I didn’t see those visions

I wasn’t wrapped in fear

I haven’t fought with weapons

Or marched in political fear

I didn’t fight their struggle

I simply wasn’t there

I listened to their words

I observed their passion

I sat amongst the audience

With all their fingers snapping

But the words were so big

They said them so fast

I couldn’t take it all in

Or digest their complex past

Empathy whipped like cream

I held fragile, melted, imagery

I couldn’t savour all the taste

Too fast, too much, for me to face

My soul grieved at a reading

When all those exquisite flavours

Were stolen from me