Uncomfortable acts of remembrance for black British soldiers

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?