THE POEM ABOUT THE POEM by David Erdos - Poem 9 from THE PEOPLES PRISON

Poem 9 from THE PEOPLES PRISON 

AITCH AND ACHE  Or,  The Poem About The Poem

 

 

Sometimes a week’s work is all about the one poem   

On November the 25th I wrote something

At the end of the night, my soul saved

By honouring a special hero of mine

And the ideal love that informed him.

 

The next day I rode from Hillingdon

On a Coronic bus for two hours, to Holland Park,

Delivering it to his widow, who later emailed

To tell me that she would ‘read it to the autumn air’

At his grave. I wrote other things. Always do,

 

But this was the moment that mattered

A woman now in her eighties, reading my still hopeful

Words to the dead. And reliving the love that I

Can still only dream of. For if we are the long

Separated then there still remain calls for closeness

 

And embraces to chase in far beds. There will also

Be kisses to come, set to occur beyond breathing

Such as the ones I still savour from someone

Who clearly prefers to forget. But today I think

Of their love and of how survival’s bones

 

Bind a marriage. From such solitude I have

Touched them. And on a cold day in London

Found a warmth of some sort beside death.

 

David Erdos, November 27th 2020

For more poems from David Erdos visit The Corona Diaries collection 

David Erdos is an actor, writer, director with over 300 professional credits. He is a published poet, playwright, essayist and illustrator. He has lectured on all disciplines in theatre and film for leading performing arts colleges, schools and universities around the world. His books include EASY VERSES FOR DIFFICULT TIMES, THE SCAR ON THE CLOUD, OIL ON SILVER, NEWS FROM MARS, CHANGING PLACES WITH LIGHT (penniless press) and BYZANTIUM with the photographer Max Reeves. He is a contributing editor for The International Times and maker of documentaries all over the world. David’s work has been acclaimed by many leading figures including Harold Pinter, Heathcote Williams, Alan Moore, Andrew Kotting, Chris Petit and Iain Sinclair in whose recent book THE LAST LONDON, David features. He can be reached at David.erdos@sky.com.

David Erdos

©    David Erdos has asserted his moral rights as author of his work and has full copyright.