The Siege of Derry

[brianedwards]

The Siege of Derry

Hearing struggles for a plastic train,
the push and pull of wronged indignant hands
I can't help but fear we'd never survive
if this were the siege of Derry.

Breakfasted, we snick through thickets
to swings sans safety rails or cork chippings
oblivious to which side of the wall we'd be
if this were the siege of Derry.

The possible obsolescence of the radio
alarms me. I leave it chattering upstairs.
Of course there would be no deejay's voice
if this were the siege of Derry.

Restless, equations jockey at the altar
as scared of thunder as lightning's sure that rain
would torment all attempts to light a candle
if this were the siege of Derry.

Still old enough to be my father's son,
yet young enough to toilet by myself.
All of this would matter less than soup
if this were the siege of Derry.













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[ray miller]

I thought this were mostly excellent, without having that much idea what it's about. 2nd verse is really fine.
plastic train? something not worth arguing over?
The possible obsolescence of the radio - it feels too long, this line, maybe an alternative to possible.Likewise, 2nd line of verse 4.
I had the feeling this was kind of a Bad News From Abroad, a wry little satire, but the last verse doesn't conform, and is a wee bit flatter.

[twoleftfeet]

It wouldn't matter that I don't get what's going on if this were the Siege of Derry..

A perspective on risk, comfort, safety/ danger as seen by a modern man looking back into history?

S2 is my favourite - excellent sonics - and if you started with it I could have believed you were speaking of your childhood, but
S1 suggests you are a parent witnessing children squabbling so obviously that is not the case.

I didn't get the significance of "possible" in S3, I didn't get any of S4, but I did enjoy the convoluted Sphinx-like logic of the final stanza.

Dare I ask - is there any significance in the events of the Siege of Derry?

James II

[dillingworth]

i imagined a father with children in a playground in S1 and 2 - a miniature train and some swings. If so I like the contrast between childish and adult conflict - "the push and pull of wronged indignant hands". i'm afraid the second half became quite obscure to me but i did like the little play on "deejay" in S3 (I'd rather it were rendered DJ) and "jockey" in S4.

[brianedwards]

Thanks for engaging with this piece, I appreciate it is a bit obscure. Geoff seems to have a good handle on it though.

B.

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