
Photo by Matheus Viana on Pexels.com
For Viv & Tre
Every poem starts with a white page.
Letters are black the two colours mix
and so, we embark onto uncomfortable acts of remembrance for black soldiers.
This is the part you can filter out the colours and beauty filter remembrance,
There is nothing sadder than white death
nothing more moving than Private Ryan.
A black soldier from let’s say Montego Bay
throws himself on a grenade for his brothers.
Is he red enough for us now, zoom in a little?
Let’s rewind to the day he split a shoal of fish
swimming with his sister for no reason except
they wanted to see the colours of the sea’s soul.
Is his death a little sadder now, more humanised?
Let’s rewind further, he used to pick flowers for his Mama
cornflower blues, flesh wound pinks, black and white Dahlias.
Every poem ends with a point and this ones no different.
Is he black enough yet to be a main leading character?
Can Tom Hanks talk a regiment into rescuing him?