Caught Between The Devil And A Dragon
Caught Between The Devil And A Dragon
She pushes the pram with the smiling infant inside
Not with the blessings of youth and good health
As when she first pushed her own children
A lethargic, determined but almost defeated push of the pram
The push of a person who has to push on
Rather than someone who wants or chooses to
Her eyes meet my own for just a second maybe two
But her inner light is dim, I cant read her eyes
She’s asleep, asleep in a living nightmare of worry
I can read her face though, the lines like fault lines
On the surface of her face, her history
Probably sixty five but looks closer to ninety
I can read these lines better than I can read a map
I read pain, the pain of the burdened and overwhelmed
Her attire humble, sensible and inexpensive
Her eyes squinting as her thin lashes try to protect
From the bitter cold wind blowing towards her
A cold howl that penetrates her emaciated frame to its very core
She pushes on and although, there is little light in her eyes
She pushes a precious cargo, more precious than gold or diamonds
Her family’s future.
She’s a generation out of step for this push
Her own child should be pushing this pram
But her own child’s caught in a game
A game where you are always chasing a dragon
And the devil is always chasing you
And in between you have no time to chase the people who you love
And who love you
Ged Thompson Liverpool Poet and Writer 25/01/13
Wez Jefferies
Wed 30th Jan 2013 19:40
Brilliant Ged. I think it's a scene many of us have looked at before and I love the way you portray it with such coldness.