Tags
Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alex Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, anger, death, grief, My Boy, poetry, Police, UK poet, Uk poetry, Yorkshire poet
That is my boy.
The one you shot,
the one you smote,
the Bactrian one
whose back you broke.
That is my boy.
The one you left
for dead in a cell,
who jerked and seized,
you thought he signed well.
That is my boy.
The one who is Deaf,
frogmarched and chained,
not understood,
his language restrained.
That is my boy.
The one who is ill,
as you bore down on his chest,
you broke his heart,
along with the rest.
That is my boy.
The one who is black,
the one who is white,
the one left hanging,
in a cell out of sight.
That is my boy.
The one you shot,
the one you smote,
the Bactrian one
whose back you broke.
That is my boy,
and it is your boy too.
© My Boy 18.05.2015
by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
Picture Credit:https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/306667055852311916/
Picture Credit: Found on sliptalk.com
This art installation was erected by South African artist Marco Cianfanelli, stands on the spot where Nelson Mandela was arrested 50 years ago. The monument is constructed out of 50 separate steel bars to represent 50 years since the capture.
Worldly Winds 
This is a very powerful and thought provoking poem. It speaks to the climate of our boys today in all societies around the globe. Well written.
Thank you – another poet asked me to write my ideas on the recent murder of Walter Scott. This was my attempt.
There have been similar stories (very old) in the UK of an epileptic man being so forcibly restrained he was killed. Another event where an interpreter was brought in to a cell to reveal the man was not signing but having a seizure and other stories of Deaf people being cuffed rendering them unable to communicate.
All of them are heartbreaking for the victims and their families.
Ugliness all over the world.
Extremely powerful. Well done.
Thank you very much indeed. Hopefully simple, but powerful.
Powerful – and a wonderfully strong rhythm.
Thanks Polly 🙂
Powerful!
Thank you Xena xxx
Have to agree with silently….
This is a very intense piece, with a lot of gravitas, but the chameleon ability to reference so many “boys”.
Tremendous writing!
Also like the image and the additional information about that specific installation.
Thank you very much indeed. I’m so pleased it has resonated with people 🙂
Outstanding!!!
Thanks Resa 🙂