http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/10/carol-ann-duffy-olympics-london
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
"We want more cycle lanes" (poetry)
(6 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
-
I'm not normally into poetry
Can't really see the point
Of writing rhymes in broken lines
With deliberate
DisjointBut maybe it was the cycling
And words I understood
That encouraged me to read this poem
And think it pretty
GoodPosted 12 years ago # -
Needs to be read aloud. The sentiment aside, it's brilliant
Posted 12 years ago # -
What is it you don't like about the sentiment?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Sorry, I meant I love the sentiment (the more cycle lanes bit), but even without it I'd like the poem!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Half the time I can't be bothered to click on links, so here it is...
"Translating the British, 2012. By Carol Ann Duffy.
A summer of rain, then a gap in the clouds
and The Queen jumped from the sky
to the cheering crowds.We speak Shakespeare here,
a hundred tongues, one-voiced; the moon bronze or silver,
sun gold, from Cardiff to Edinburgh
by way of London Town,
on the Giant's Causeway;
we say we want to be who we truly are,
now, we roar it. Welcome to us.We've had our pockets picked,
the soft, white hands of bankers,
bold as brass, filching our gold, our silver;
we want it back.We are Mo Farah lifting the 10,000 metres gold.
We want new running-tracks in his name.
For Jessica Ennis, the same; for the Brownlee brothers,
Rutherford, Ohuruogu, Whitlock, Tweddle,
for every medal earned,
we want school playing-fields returned.Enough of the soundbite abstract nouns,
austerity, policy, legacy, of tightening metaphorical belts;
we got on our real bikes,
for we are Bradley Wiggins,
side-burned, Mod, god;
we are Sir Chris Hoy,
Laura Trott, Victoria Pendleton, Kenny, Hindes,
Clancy, Burke, Kennaugh and Geraint Thomas,
Olympian names.We want more cycle lanes.
Or we saddled our steed,
or we paddled our own canoe,
or we rowed in an eight or a four or a two;
our names, Glover and Stanning; Baillie and Stott;
Adlington, Ainslie, Wilson, Murray,
Valegro (Dujardin's horse).We saw what we did. We are Nicola Adams and Jade Jones,
bring on the fighting kids.We sense new weather.
We are on our marks. We are all in this together."I like it, but it isn't just about cycle lanes.
(Edited to add that I also like Instography's response.)
Posted 12 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
