Poets: A Call to War!

Poets: A Call to War! (28th January, 2009, 7.03pm)

(A tribute to the courageous on ABC, and a thank you!)

Come; bring teeth and claws:
we will start a war over our
poetic flaws. Come! We shall
not be ignored! Arm yourselves
well: we may be headed for
an eternal hell!

Come; fan the fires of doom!
We will fill this virtual room
with our resolve; uphold the
values we have built, rules of
battlefields: take no prisoners
that you cannot shield.

Come; ensure you punctuate
your debate with patience:
you face ingratiates; we cannot
tame them! Hold your tongue!
I am too young; no fame yet won:
I cannot name them.

Come; bring your choicest words,
for we have never heard such
exasperation! Arm yourselves
with grace; the struggle may be
great, and we are weakened by
misplaced politeness.

Come; the beacon burns with
eternal brightness! Hold aloft
the flag of red and white; raise
up the standard! We shall lay
waste to those who save their
face with pettiness.

Come; our work is not yet
done; trumpet the wordsmiths
on, follow in their wake. It was
my mistake; I tried to win the
game; my shame is absolute; I
might well bend the truth.

Come; let us imbibe the wine
of mutual sacrifice! I offer up
these lines to Gods that may
decide to smite us! Long is the
road that leads to Rome; three
small steps guide us home.

Jennifer Pickup