The Sandbag Times Issue No: 46

POETRY CORNER
in contrast to the summer which can be excessively hot
when ‘the eye of heaven’ (a marvellous metaphor for the
sun) blazes at its height or disappointingly cold when
cloud covers its ‘gold complexion’. Beauty in all things
will fade and die but the persona argues that his lover’s
beauty will never do so, hijacking the short-lived season
itself by transforming into a metaphorical ‘eternal summer’.
Unlike the short ‘lease’ the summer has on beauty,
the lover well and truly owns the freehold, living forever
in the memory through the sonnet, a form that Charles
Tennyson Turner called ‘a moment’s monument’.
The summer is often seen by the press as the silly season
but some would argue that this is simply an extension
of the winter of discontent that began in
November 2016 when the election of Donald Trump
seemed about as likely as the discovery of a flying dodo
or water on Mars. One thing is for sure, this summer will
be eternal in the memory for all kinds of reasons.
DISCOVERY OF THE DODO’S BLACK BOX IN-FLIGHT
RECORDER
Truth – What is that? (Pontius Pilate)
If you are hearing this, I could well be dead,
so listen. I got the better of all birds,
the ones who laughed at me, the ones who said
my name is Portugese for crazy, nerds
who claimed it’s Dutch for lazy. Soft in the head
doves of San Francisco, charmed by his words,
preached peace, praised sun and moon. I broke bread
with them. They sang their songs in modal thirds. I
waddled as they trilled, and watched them soar into the
blue above my head, green pain
came pounding. It was then I knew the score.
I had to make Mauritius great again,
fit myself for flight, like my folks before.
Unlike a certain Disney duck, I’m real,
survived a flood of tears. That saved some face.
In Wonderland I won the Caucus race
and let you know to show I have appeal.
Half the lies they tell you are not true;
I flapped my dodo’s wings, and then I flew.
Michael Woods
Win This Fantastic Title
This unusual and beautiful book collects together twenty
five of the often read, well-loved poets. Each
poet is illustrated with an original watercolor
portrait by the talented young artist,
Charlotte Zeepvat, who reproduces in
pleasing script one of their works, giving a
biographical summary that placed the poet
firmly in the battlefield context in which
their work was conceived.
To have a chance at winning this
fabulous book, simply email your
poetry to:
mike@sandbagtimes.com
URBAN PRINTS
Proud Sponsors of
The Sandbag Times
The SBT would like to
welcome Urban Prints,
Worcester as an official sponsor
for our magazine.
Urban Prints
Unit 7 The Gallery,
The Shambles,
Worcester
WR1 2RA
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