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From 1996 to 2017 (An emotional history off tragedies in Manchester looking at things from the outside)

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In 1996 when the IRA blew up the Arndale
I was barely able to leave my house 
After getting mugged the night before
Which left me with a major limp
For the next 18 months or so 
And forced me to ring around friends
That I knew would normally be there
Praying they would be at home. 

In 2007 I got led out of my works
Viva an underground tunnel 
I hadn’t known about previously
After it was deemed unsafe outside
To walk around the corner as normal
When a hurricane dragged a bollard
Through the Chief Exectuive’s car
And other cars onto the next street. 

In 2010 I ended up leading three women
I worked alongside at the Co-operative 
To Manchester Piccadilly Train Station
Like James Bond mixed with the Pier Piper
Avoiding all of the bars laced with drunk fans
Just before Ranger’s Europa Cup final 
At Manchester City’s Ethiad Stadium
Just before it exploded into chaos. 

In 2011, I was getting drove back home
By a kindly Ambulance Crew
Hours after getting registered with Diabetes
When we drove into a gang of youths
And barely reversed out alive 
Looting a shop I used to go in for
A sandwich nearly every morning
On the way into my work. 

In 2017, I walked past
Manchester Victoria Train Station
About a half a hour before
A terrorist took the lives off
22 people including children
And left me barely able
To sleep for two days afterwards
Laid in complete shock.

Each tragedy or event 
Staining emotions 
No matter how close
I was to the action 

Cherry-picking memories
Into frozen images 
Across feelings 
Stuck in time 

Reprinting each day
Over and over 
Into a compressed version
Of Groundhog Day

Shooting grief from my heart
No matter how close to the front I was 
Or whispered in braille rain 
Tapping in shadow like tears 

Brining my eyes 
Pushing my grief aside
And carrying on
Like so so many others.

◄ Ghost Story IV Complete Story

Sister in a box ►

Comments

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Andy N

Sat 10th Jun 2017 18:27

thanks guys. to be honest, this has been is in my thoughts to do for months now and the trigger simply came that the night after that terrible event in Manchester,

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raypool

Wed 7th Jun 2017 23:31

This is so affecting Andy and well expressed with a poetic strength of meaning and purpose that is a great achievement.

Ray

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steve pottinger

Wed 7th Jun 2017 21:07

I love the way you've put this together, Andy. By looking at recent events through the prism of time and personal experience you've created a poem that's really effective. Nice work.

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Cynthia Buell Thomas

Fri 2nd Jun 2017 14:22

Thanks for sharing, Andy. Very eloquently put. I'm hoping the writing itself has played a major part in your personal 'adjustment'.

Cynthia

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