The Hammer and the Dance The hammer and the dance in this atlas of the world, in the season of pandemic, like two stanchions on a court; between, a tightening line like the imaginary line on the cartographer’s expedient chart, on one side, the dutiful girls, on the other, boys in masks; around them hung a wall of distance that surrounds them like a fort; at their feet, forgotten tasks. And the hammer beats the time for the young ones as they dance. What of the future? What of the past? What of the present? You may well ask. There was something to be done now forever left undone. Where there once appeared a mask, now a flawed map hides its face in a hand scarred by this place; now there is a face of ash. And the hammer beats the time for the young ones as they dance. Deep inside the twisting globe opens up a burning robe. And tonight the silence hurls into darkness its moot sign like a banner never furled, like the alchemist’s alembic charred with his defeated gold, like the future’s gathering dark and the iron in the heart. And the hammer beats the time for the young ones as they dance. Spiritus When you see it, you will know. The shaky camera, the kneeling men in midnight blue: they look at first as though they are praying, pious as three altar boys, caught in an innocuous crime, perhaps stealing holy wafers or consecrated wine. But they are not. The shaking camera stops, and you hold in your breath, like clutching at a hand, not quite believing that you see what it is you think you see. Underneath their knees, in the brutal sun, a dark form. And a voice from the feed: "I can't breathe, I can't breathe! I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" For four minutes and forty-six seconds, as the altar boys pray in the shouting glare. Then it stops. The video stops. The voice stops. The praying stops. The breathing stops And you breathe, too late. But you seethe, you seethe. _____ Christopher Bernard is co-editor and poetry editor of the webzine Caveat Lector. His new collection of poems, The Socialist’s Garden of Verses, will appear in the fall of 2020.
Category Archives: CHAOS
Elizabeth Hughes’ Book Periscope
The Unseen Blossom by Zlaikha Y. Samad and L’Mere Younossi
The Unseen Blossom is a story that is both magical and a love story. The story is about Princess Zuli and Lamar, a shoemaker in Kabul. They are both chosen to go on an enchanted journey to find the elusive blossom of the Fig Tree. Along the way they go through gardens of enchanted trees, plants, animals and fish. They have realized that in another life, their souls have been interwoven to be soulmates for eternity. Their role is to learn how to bring unity and peace to their world. This is the most wonderful and delightful story that is perfect for any age. The message in the book is completely relevant in today’s world. We can all learn from its message of unity, peace and love.
Art from Patricia Doyne
Poetry from Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal
| Crack His Head Push him down. Crack his head like an egg, blood yolk on the cement. Push the old man down on the pavement. Dominate, so shameful. Was that worth it? Really? Is that your training? Push old men down. Protester down, peaceful protester down, his blood on your hands. A slap on the wrist, paid leave, is that punishment for assault? Captive Wind You cannot hold the wind captive. If it dies, it will kick back up later. It will pick up the pace in a hill, gently at first. When going downward, pity to those who stand in its path. Do not take it lightly. You cannot hold the wind captive for too long. Its ghostly breeze will topple you. Its memory will be imprinted in your thoughts. If you fear the wind, you better bundle up to the neck. It will leave you in misery. It is a sea wave on land, and it could strike softly or with immense cruelty. It will slap your forehead like a backhand. The wind does not play. You cannot hold the wind captive. It will make a great escape and bring silence a world of sounds. Drowning in Fire As if drowning in fire, burning through and through, it is clear that passion and desire are running through my veins. No amount of water can slow down this inferno. Night cannot cool me off. The water in the moon is not cold enough. Like a burnt stone under ashes I remain. I am a shadow of flames burning like stars. My passion and desire are burning for her. I throw myself into a lake of fire and I go down to the deepest depths. I come up still burning from head to foot. I take my agony to the frozen lake, halfway from the frozen mountain. A flaming shadow follows. I close my eyes and she is still there, the woman that I burn for. She is there when I am fast asleep in my sub-conscience, in my dreams, she is the burning woman, and I am the burning man, burning in splendor. |
Essay from Ike Boat
Article Title: The ‘CV’ Effects
The Genesis of what commenced in a suburban community of China has been described and called by some as Wuang Wild Fire – WWF spreading across the length and breadth of the globe. Thus, like invisible terrorist causing unbearable soul damages and demise of the entire human race from Asia to America, Europe to Africa, beside across the oceans to Australia as well by the airwaves of flights to countries of the continents. Indeed, the news of its occurrence and how lives were affected in Wuang, China dated December of 2019. In fact, its severe deadly approach to multitudes in China made the ‘Word Health Organization – WHO’ came out with a name Corona Virus – CV as simplified initials. However, ‘Corona’ as a literal parlance means ‘Crown’. Well, in terms of how it relate to this virus still unknown and vaccine undiscovered. Once again, WHO also came out with it short pronunciation name CoViD-19 which is explained: Co = Corona, Vi = Virus, D = December, 19 = 2019. To some world medical Doctors the ‘D’ stands for Disease though. As far as this article is concerned then CV simply means Corona Virus as I used to title a Spoken-Word poem recording dubbed: ‘Oh CV!’ which can be listened to via the following web-link: www.soundcloud.com/ikeboatofficial/ohcv – Of course, not the CV many known as Curriculum Vitae attached to some employment application letters.
Around the world over, in everything there is good and bad, right and wrong, or even positive and negative. Therefore, The CV Effects brings to bear both the Negative and Positive sides of this global CoViD-19 pandemic as it pictured in African perspective. Although, many lives have been lost in Europe, America and other continents than Africa, there is still need to bring readers to the CV positive and negative effects. Lo, to the curious minds, Positive in this context is not when someone is tested and he or she carries such fatal virus in the blood stream coupled with its symptoms of the body system. Aside, not negative when a person has contracted the virus. But contrary, in view of right conditions or states it has brought human-kind and made many, especially on the continent of Africa.
The Positive Ten – TPT (+10)
1. It has taught both young and old the critical need as well urgency to wash hands thoroughly with soap under running pipe-borne water or usage of ‘Veronica Bucket’. Hitherto, some proceed to eat meals without regular hand wash even after visiting nature’s call, be it public or private toilet.
2. To the religious minds, in the Christendom – It has established the possibility for the faith-oriented ones to learn to pray on their own and for themselves even to intercede for others respectively. Thus, no dependency on Pastors or Priests to pray for them in times of critical spiritual conditions as there are no social functions or gatherings such as Church service, crusades etc.
3. It has also changed peoples habitual drunkenness as some often go to secret spots, bars or even pubs at even dawn times to engage in alcoholism i.e.(Excessive in-take of alcohol). That means positively there is nose-dive of people being piss-pots in order not to affect their health status.
4. Generally, those in Africa particularly the sub-region often refrain from covering their nostril even though pollution of different forms in the atmosphere hinders respiratory process. Thus, regular usage of ‘Nose Mask’ or ‘Face Mask’ has prevented many from inhaling other poisonous substances in the atmosphere through the nose or mouth.
5. There has been decrease of over-population problems in some countries of Africa, America, Europe, Asia etc. It obvious over-population bring about other economic hardships to the human society, thus some sort of positive death effect any way.
6. To those seeking ‘greener pastures’ in some European or American countries there will be many job or work opportunities for them to travel in enhancing their human resource-based when the whole pandemic pass away and people have freedom of movement.
7. Nowadays, there is reasonable usage of handkerchiefs and tissues to cover nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, as in times past some folks thought it was just some sort of involuntary action in life.
8. People have learnt the act of physical or social-distancing and isolation when it comes to buying and selling at public places as some form queues during customer service i.e.(Food Joints, Banking Halls and other places) which are often crowdie and congested, aside demands proper-spacing at public areas.
9. Being frugal on funeral and burial services in Ghana particularly has advantageously changed as those dead are buried quickly like the ‘Islamic way’, not kept in mortuary or morgue. Also, without mounting canopies and organizing of wake-keeping, playing music during funeral-related activities.
10. Similarly, those who spend huge-sums of money on wedding, engagement and birthday parties has changed dramatically as only twenty-five (25) people are accepted during social gatherings with regard to government directive.
The Negative Ten – TNT (-10)
1. Obviously, the bad or negative impact of Lock-Downs on some sub-Saharan countries such as Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Ivory Coast has been a bitter pill to swallow, especially those working from hand-t0-mouth on daily basis. Both, the partial and total Lock-Downs have made many remained hungry at various homes since they couldn’t reach-out to work so no means to make money for their livelihood.
2. The death of individuals, some known relatives abroad and those popular show-biz celebrity and other professionals such as Musicians, Actors, Doctors etc. have left sad indelible marks on the minds of many as grave-yards are equaled to ancient castle-gate or door-way of no return to life.
3. No regular cordial forms of hand-shake salutation so some have sense of emotionalism and unseen feud of hatred being a negative sign rather than CV symptoms itself.
4. Badly, no classroom form of education to study as schools and other corporate institutions, supermarkets, malls have generally close-down for so many months in Ghana, and other parts of the world. But, those with no knowledge about computer-related online learning or studies that means when there is possibility of examination it will be to their ‘negative’ disadvantage since they can’t fathom certain topics in the curriculum. Aside, would need professional teacher’s assistance.
5. Some company employers have also laid-off workers, staff members and abrogated or cancelled contracts of personnel as consumers are not patronizing products and services rendered to the masses. More so, the international Airline industries as well Maritime agencies of ports and harbours are not in regular operations affecting the entire global economy.
6. Family members and friends who have made monetary promises to send financial support to relatives in Africa are facing hard times due to uncertain Lock-Down restrictions and conditions.
7. There have been sky-rocketing prices of products at market-places, especially sanitizer becoming mostly sought after CV preventive and protective product on the continent of Africa and beyond. Unimaginably, it has also affected some other food stuffs and products previously on little demand.
8. The increase of pre-paid electricity unit buying, as school boys and girls supposed to be at school during classroom hours are at home watching television and using other electrical appliances to the disadvantage of parents suffering to pay other utility bills. To some parents, noise-making at home has been on higher-heights as children playing and hitting objects aimlessly keep disturbing them.
9. Unknowingly, some government officials and those at front-line of work to ensure cure or possible healing process of the CV disease are rather making money to engage in different projects and use during political campaign rallies season. A couple of weeks, whilst at an audio recording studio at Top Hill of Kasoa, information revealed that some people with negative test of the CoViD-19 are falsely quarantined in order to ensure more donors funding support. Unhealthily, monies giving by both local and global organizations are channeled to different projects to the ‘negative’ disadvantage effect of the global Corona Virus – CV pandemic.
10. Last not but least, some of us with other talents in the Arts performing industry are not getting events gig booking coupled with other benefits due to the negative side effect of Corona Virus – CV pandemic as there are no special social shows and programs to ensure participation or performances.
From Ike Boateng in Ghana
Poetry from Mark Murphy
Snowfall in June
The civilised man only has will to conquer himself. –
Anon.
Some nights when the snow is silent
only the moon hisses as it arcs
through the night
cheating moonflower and evening star
into confiding in its magic
But magic alone is not enough
to secure the applecart
or endow the adder with agency
Some nights even the Stix freezes over
giving the snow a chance
to shine bright as Charon’s solitude
caught between ice and fire
in long nights of ferrying and panic
*
Now suppliant and lickspittle move in
for the kill in a bid to steal
obolus from the mouths of the dead –
only to find the Nightbird has flown
proffering snow as a metaphor
for exiting hell
Tangents
Hard to swallow yet another yarn
but you continue to thread the needle
with no lack of imagination
like a man accustomed to telling
the piece-mender
how to mend
as if the string-along
was natural as tying your boot laces
*
Not so much ‘losing the thread’
as ‘losing the plot’
as you spout ancient nothings
about soul science
and the lower fourth dimension
To rid itself of parasites and enable
new growth,
the sidestepping cobra slowly sheds its skin
but do not be fooled
by the sight of one predator leaving
itself defenseless as it eradicates another.
You must always be on your guard
and remember –
even without coiling
to assume the strike position
danger strikes
silently spitting venom without warning.
*
Anyone unfortunate enough to be acquainted
with the hooded menace
might wish to keep a mongoose
at hand to offset any material losses,
prevent further trespass
and send him packing (not before time)
into the dustbin of all your past mistakes.
Poetry from Mark Young
A line from Bruce Sterling A London based electronic music producer uses Ukrainian water pipes & huge funnel clouds to create movie special effects. She calls this a non-populist activity, for she sees the resultant out- puts as works of scientific art. There are images of wreckage & personal belongings, the inner workings of cells. Debris in the air, but an FX hurricane manages to keep the place looking spotless. A line from Léopold Sédar Senghor A user-centric evaluation framework means older people have more problems learning new systems, even when there is improved access to a variety of language structures. We noted an anomaly: re- dundancy on both the systems & user side means that nominal data is never uniform in the interval between successive work- outs. When you're indoct- rinated, not even a lullaby will smooth the readings. A line from Stormy Daniels I usually stay away from writing self-centered self- help articles, let the feed dogs pull the triangles into position. That center triangle is very critical. But, different houses, a different set of rules for the game of Go. A year of headlines about Russian interference; & I feel like I'm running through a minefield looking for red lines to remove. A line from Cyndi Lauper In the Darwinian world of the digital switchover, broad- casters were evacuated due to a major embolism, possibly the biggest thing to happen since the introduction of color. Don't blame the government— the High Court judgement was flawed. Amnesty International has been sounding the alarm for more than a year that the TV channels had strong incentives to grow their audiences through human trafficking. Now they sit there, heels on fire, cutting every cost without fear of any penalty.