Three Poems

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
The sunspot cycle has been incorrectly held responsible for business downturns, climate change, plague outbreaks & happiness.
       
       expanding & contracting like avarice / now screaming / ravenous / fatuous
       everywhere dark spots move across the sun / expanding & contracting like avarice
       everywhere dark spots move across the sun / now screaming / harbouring change
         
       suicide / drugs / there’s climate change / pandemics / debt / hate / divorce
       confessing what it’s responsible for / suicide / drugs / there’s climate change
       confessing what it’s responsible for / pandemics / debt / hate / divorce
       
       boring as T-shirts / colds / waiting for a train / it’s life is whisky / slippers / chest hair
       the sun has tantrums every 11 years / boring as T-shirts / colds / waiting for a train
       the sun has tantrums every 11 years / it’s life is whisky / slippers / chest hair
       
       there are tsunamis / avalanches / despotic governments / wars & tsars
       life comes & goes like God / stars / there are tsunamis / avalanches
       life comes & goes like God / stars / despotic governments / wars & tsars



 PALESTINES MOURN DEATH OF NURSE KILLED BY ISRAELI FORCES
 Of 18 plague doctors in Venice only one was left by 1348; 5 had died & 12 were missing
   
       he wanted to help / he became an icon / a human shield / rescuer in the nothing grounds
       teenager years were scarred by warfare / he wanted to help / he became an icon
       teenager years were scarred by warfare / a human shield / rescuer in the nothing grounds
       
       he went to a blood-smeared woman / 20 metres from the iron mesh fence
       the air sucking her blind gulps of help me help me / he went to a blood-smeared woman
       the air sucking her blind gulps of help me help me / 20 metres from the iron mesh fence
       
       wearing a white jacket with high-viz stripes / moving slowly through plumes of teargas
       shot in the chest / became a martyr / wearing a white jacket with high-viz stripes
       shot in the chest / became a martyr / moving slowly through plumes of teargas
       
       the afflicted were comforted by priests / but the church didn’t raise them to sainthood
       during The Black Death / they fell like jewels / the afflicted were comforted by priests
       during The Black Death / they fell like jewels / but the church didn’t raise them to sainthood



VATICAN JAILS ITALIAN PRIEST FOR CHILD PORN

“You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force & harshness you have ruled them.”  Ezekiel 34:4

       but denied possessing child pornography / for its distribution / dissemination or sale
       he’s been under investigation by Washington / but denied possessing child pornography
       he’s been under investigation by Washington / for its distribution / dissemination or sale
       
       he’s astonished at what they say he’s done / & all the children can’t believe it
       the priest has nothing in his pockets / he’s astonished at what they say he’s done
       the priest has nothing in his pockets / & all the children can’t believe it
       
       how are we to know if he’s guilty? / when shall burn him & where?
       it’s a "canonical crime" / of "most grave delicts" / how do we to know if he’s guilty?
       it’s a "canonical crime" / of "most grave delicts" / when shall burn him & where?
       
       denounces the culture of abuse & cover-up / wants to expel those sad & evil priests
       the Holy See expresses shame / denounces the culture of abuse & cover-up
       the Holy See expresses shame / wants to expel those sad & evil priests

Rodney Wood

If you have any thoughts on these poems,  Rodney Wood would be pleased to hear them.