Another fun session at St Augustine's this week: we looked at the idea of superfluous immortals, using a poem by Sean O'Brien called, er, 'Protocols of the Superfluous Immortals'. I came up with this:Fire from heaven
Some days, I like to walk to the
Shops. I buy a pack of cigarettes,
Enjoy the spark of fire.
So easy, it is, now.
What I gave to them.
I watch them, squandering.
I shuffle past some kids,
Kicking a ball about.
I see their smirks.
If only they knew
That once I flew to the
Side of Zeus' throne
And tore the flame of
Knowledge from his
Sleeping fingers.
I fell through space
My limbs so cold
To bring to rough-shod men
The tongues of living thought.
And for that gift
Zeus chained me to a cliff.
An eagle, razor-beaked,
Ripped out my liver, every day.
Agony, it was. Agony
I cannot tell. It filled the
World and the world did not
Hear.
Now, set free, I pass the
Years by slipping through the
Streets, gazing at you for whom
I died and died again.
I flick my cigarette away.
The boys laugh.
'Move over, grandad!'
I crush the butt. I cough.
I take my ravaged body
Away, and overhead an eagle
Shrieks a lonely song.
My eyes burn.
PAW
