Seamus Heaney: A Huge Loss

As soon as my tea stained eyes fell upon these words, "Seamus Heaney, the Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet and playwright, has died," my heart gave a heave of sadness. Oh my words, what dreadful news to be met with after only a few clicks of the mouse. Especially for a fellow poet/playwright (though not as grand to put myself on Heaney's level) who looked on the Irish writer as a kind of Obi Wan Kenobi figure. One of the last living Master (capitol M) Scribe. What wretched news!
Life, you can be a swine at the best of times but today? Today you are double the pig.
I was fortunate enough to spend time with Seamus Heaney at a poetry reading in Swansea University back in 1998, and it was like being in the presence of someone who knew all the tricks. It was immense, like a film fan meeting Clint Eastwood if you changed the Arts. Believe me, you know when you are in the company of a great man, something in your spirit alerts you, and it was certainly true back in the Taliesin center all those years ago in Swansea.

'Tis a black day, losing such a genius poet when real poets are so rare in this world. I'll take leave to mourn and leave you with words by Seamus himself:

"Be advised my passport's green.
No glass of ours was ever raised
to toast the Queen."

To Drummer Lee Rigby

In Loving Memory

This blog will ignore the perpetrators of the truly barbaric murder that occurred on Wednesday. It will not even mention their names, they do not deserve an ounce of attention (sadly our media have given them more than enough but I realise its their job.) Instead this post will remember the victim, 25 year old Drummer Lee Rigby of 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Rest easy soldier, tragically cut down way before your time. Your country mourns you and is forever in your debt. One of the most heart breaking tributes I read yesterday was a note left near the spot where he died. It was penned by one of the women who cradled the dying man and read:

"I held you as you died, Im so sorry I couldn't do more for you but you will live with me now for the rest of my life, in my heart Im sorry I couldn't do more and hope you are at peace."

Oh how the tears fell! Imagine the guilt and pain of someone who had no reason to feel guilty of anything? The horror of that situation, a kind soul wanting to give more but was unable because help was beyond the grasp of mortal hands. I still cannot read it without feeling a tear roll down my cheek and as well as sending best wishes to Drummer Rigby and his loved ones, I send the same to those three women who the nation, indeed the world, saw cradling this brave young soldier in his final moments.

Captain Alan Williamson, Adjutant Second Fusiliers said this of his comrade: "Riggers was a cheeky and humorous man, always there with a joke to brighten the mood." And you can clearly see this in the photograph. The sparkle is in his eyes, the 'cheekiness' playing around his mouth as if ready at any moment to crack a joke. One of the good guys, you can tell.

Rest in peace and much respect Drummer Rigby, a nation mourns you.

To Bethena

I missed your love and kindness,
your soul of souls,
but beauty with its assorted delinquents and trinkets
never fades or wilts,
and 'tho I nest amongst adders in the dawn
I am at the gentle mercy of you always.
Those eyes, that smile,
a face which had all the answers
and hangs forever, a portrait in my chest.
Oh to have known you darling Bethena!
To have held your hand
and walked with you, both poets on fire,
a furious blaze all together smothering the page.

I gaze into your eyes, those chessnut pools
and know what might have been
is happening now in the emerald garden
where your delicate touch is freezing the furies.
Bethena! Gone before your time
but time itself will be your tribute
as those you Love remember you,
and this ode, testament of your inspiration
which reshaped the horizons of a distant hand.
Oh to have known you!
But content am I to know that you live on,
triumphed over crocodiles
and sending Love in butterflies...

©Steven Francis poems 2010

Remembering you today, 12 years on x

Baroness Thatcher 1925 ~ 2013

Baroness Margaret Thatcher has died. A colossal figure of the 20th century and of this there is no doubt. What is also in no doubt is the fact that she divided the nation, some loved her, other hated her but regardless of your political views, celebrating an elderly ladies death (indeed anyones death) is never acceptable. But alas low people will always show their colours and some are using social media to foam at the mouth in pathetic glee. I shall speak no more of them.

Rest in peace Margaret. Many despised you, many feared you, many misunderstood you. I didn't. As far as I'm concerned, you were one of the best politicians Great Britain ever had. Girl power proper and if half the politicians nowadays had your backbone this country wouldn't be the mess it is now.
Maggie, you are now in a much better place and I will leave the final words with you (words which could be a 'motto' to this blog in fact): "I love argument. I love debate. I don't expect anyone just to sit there and agree with me - that's not their job."