Celfypridd

Foto of the year for me Argentine police officer Celeste Ayala breastfeeding a malnourished baby…

 

We will light the stranger’s candle?

It’s something that we’ve done

for as long as we’ve been a family.

Lighting a welcoming candle in a window

on Christmas Eve

for any stranger walking home

returning to their family in the darkness.

Or maybe a child of ours

making their life’s journey

in their own way.

 

©roobcullen2018

 

 

It such a pleasure to organise an event with such great performers and performances! My gratitude to Mathew Frederick, Patrick Jones, Clare Potter, Eric Ngalle Charles & Amelia Unity. Sadly Rhian Elizabeth couldn’t be with us, she was missed and we hope she is well soon!

The last Voices on the Bridge of 2018 but such a cracker!

Next VOB Friday 11th January 2019 – watch out for the postings!

Best wishes for the New Year and hope to see you all then!

 

Rob Cullen.

Looking forward to another great night of spoken word and music!

On the brink with narrow men.

 

the Cold War overshadowed much of my childhood

fear was latched and hooked onto everyday things

it was the Reds they said would do us harm

 

it went on through my teenage years too

that continuous threat the nuclear arsenals posed

the bombers of all sides armed, ready to go

 

submarines lurked in the oceans depths

then Cruise missiles came a late addition.

something changed something called détente

 

but the wars continued they just found a way

around that inconvenience it was simple

they stopped calling them wars

 

but now they’ve all caught amnesia

and fear is spreading everywhere

politicians can’t seem to help themselves

 

ladling fear whenever they can

it’s an all too obvious strategy

while the dismantling goes on

 

of Education, the National Health Service,

Social Care and so much more

it’s easy to spot the distraction of fear

 

while the narrow men shout watch for the reds

but meanwhile get into the Chinese bed

there is a collective amnesia at large

 

and we have real reason to be afraid of that

soon we’ll hear the justification for war

soon we’ll hear the need for boots on the ground

in whatever land is decided by the narrow men

 

and the ramping up of the war of words

to justify, bamboozle and hoodwink

that the actual threat is their stupidity

and we’ll be living in that fear time again.

 

meanwhile the rich get richer

and nothing has been learned

nothing has changed the narrow men

not even their history degrees.

 

©robcullen2018

Veterans

 

I still see your eyes

they call it

that thousand mile stare

 

How many times have I seen

listened

to the quietness begin?

 

That hesitation

and I know your back there

back there again.

 

Again

 

I see your eyes

the silence begins

a moment or two.

 

Maybe longer

an age of years

renewed.

 

Time

 

And  what does that mean?

 

©robcullen2018

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/clips/znr6n39