Polly James

Tel : 01603 516323

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Diary of an Unsmug Married
    • Would Like to Meet
  • News
  • Media
  • Blog
    • Polly James’ Blog
    • Mid-Wife Crisis Blog
  • Contact

Aberfan 4

May 19, 2015 By Polly

Here’s the poem I wrote about Aberfan that I mentioned in my last blog post, the one that Judith Porch based her powerful calligraphic piece upon…

(It was originally published under my non-writing name, on the BBC Wales website.)

 

Aberfan 4

I saw Aberfan as it happened.

Stood, that hot afternoon

In Pen-y-Wern.

Staring out across the deep, green bowl

Between us.

Tasted the black gold filling my throat

While the sun beat down

And the Heads of the Valleys shimmered.

They said I imagined it

But I did not.

I felt those small, dark-eyed children,

Just like me,

Meet their clawing, tarry deaths.

Heard their parents screaming

As they dug, and dug

Amongst the slimy black

That paid their wages and

Filled their children’s mouths.

They said I imagined it

It was morning and a

Steady rain falling.

Filed Under: Blog, Blog

Copyright © 2023 · Site created by Business Equip · Log in