Member's verse. Waxing poetic. Getting writing again.

[Noonan McKane]

THE CAMP.
__________

They come to the camp as people used to; On the trains, those same trains and are met, at the end of the line by the few.
From the yard to this block and that block, anyone who wants to see can see, your guide will gladly show you. (a yellow star I wore before)
these were the kitchens.
Rust is eating the barbed wire. It will, of course, eat it all. The blocks and huts with sagging roofs will crumble away someday and disappear and simply not be there. (but the camp will always be here) This is the toilet I used! (they may blush a little here!) But they'll show you, they don't mind.
Grass so overgrown is almost touching a metal loudspeaker horn, high on a pole. Those were the tool stores and those were the krematories.
By all means, have a look in that room! (sadly, no, I regret I can not remember what they did in there)
The officers would lean against (here) and smoke because notice how (here) the Kommandant's view from his office is obscured. Isn't it funny how things never change! A cousin of mine was shot (here). People would dig graves with these shovels. Later, those people would be buried in graves dug by other people using those same shovels. (please, sir, do not touch them. They are historical artefacts.)
It is only a clutch of temporary buildings, surrounded by a fence, and it is ugly. Time, of course, will see that it disintegrates. I hope you found your visit here educational.
It is possible (if unlikely) there will come a time when there are no such things as 'tourists', but the camp will always be here.


N. McKane, January, 2004.

[Noonan McKane]

Nelson was famous, people thought he was sweet,
In a painting, lying dying in a nice shirt; Saying 'Kiss me',
But it was Apsley,
Not Nelson; He's hardly even British, not as British,
Not an ounce!
As him in boots and britches,
Buckled beak, bloodthirsty smile,
That graced the five pound note.

If Boney met the iron duke, in honour,
On the Eton playing field,
Would Apsley count out all ten steps? No,
The 'Fire in the guts of the British army' would turn!
'Fore even two!
And simply shoot him in the back!
Then kick him till he split!
That could have been the tenner.

God charges his sword with righteousness,
Yet only the duke may lick the blood from the blade,
So nourishing him, and making us great.
The Empire is iron,
Is a gigantic weight.

We painted our banners brightly,
Spoke so thoughtfully; Of the Bible,
Carried pistols and razors and opium,
We explained.
We debated and argued and proved,
Kept Christian hours and combed our hair,
Washed our groins, rarely swore and kept order,
As we raped, killed and crushed all things which fell under us,
The niggers loved us, some still do,
This land, this flag, we pure few.

We invented the gas lamp,
To better look upon the fairground curios:
Of pauper's children, skinned, for sport,
Turned inside out and hanging in the August air,
Glistening, near the smoking stumps,
And cages full of negro savages,
Spears and bones and crusted paint,
The gaily painted carousels.


N.McKane March, 2004.


Re: Use of extremist terminology

I'm sure that people using this forum will understand fully the context in which the racist terms used within this poem are intended to be read, but in the unlikely event that these words and phrases are taken as offensive or insulting to anyone, the author would like to take this opportunity to assure any readers of this poem that it is a work of historical fiction, and that he is NOT a racist.

[Noonan McKane]

I'm sure that people using this forum will understand fully the context in which the racist terms used within this poem are intended to be read, but in the unlikely event that these words and phrases are taken as offensive or insulting to anyone, the author would like to take this opportunity to assure any readers of this poem that it is a work of historical fiction, and that he is NOT a racist.

[Noonan McKane]

What do you think of the poems, then?
The first one, the one about Auschwitz, I wrote for a college mag. for Holocaust Memorial Day; I wrote the 2nd one to kill some time one rainy afternoon.
Whaddya reckon?

[goodbar]

i like 'em both. especially the second one.


sometime i might get around to typing one of the songs i've written.

[Noonan McKane]

There's no time like the present, neebour.
Let's have it!

[goodbar]

edited

[McSwagger]

good showing, boys.

[Noonan McKane]

Holy gold-plated Christ in a well-heeled neighbourhood! You're an angry chap! Do you want to to talk "issues"?
I'm not being patronising, honest to fuck; I'm good with that shit.....

[goodbar]

haha, those aren't that angry. especially the first one. it's meant to be more happy and sing-songy


i'll have to post one of my really angry ones soon

[goodbar]

edited

[Noonan McKane]

Goodbar, You said not to laugh, so I wont.
Are you troubled? Are you an Elvis fan?
I read "Elvis" by Albert Goldman. I'm not saying it was 100% true, but it wasn't exactly complimentary. He was (Presley), by most accounts, a truly horrible character.
Do you have cancer? If so, I'm sorry. Like you said in your verse; I can't cure that, so, again, sorry.
Are you gay? I get the impression that you are, and can offer no better counsel than this:
Come out. Tell the people around you what you are feeling. They will understand. The world will seem different after this. I can't guarantee that your life will be perfect, but it WILL be more like life...

[goodbar]

Goodbar, You said not to laugh, so I wont.
Are you troubled? Are you an Elvis fan?
I read "Elvis" by Albert Goldman. I'm not saying it was 100% true, but it wasn't exactly complimentary. He was (Presley), by most accounts, a truly horrible character.
Do you have cancer? If so, I'm sorry. Like you said in your verse; I can't cure that, so, again, sorry.
Are you gay? I get the impression that you are, and can offer no better counsel than this:
Come out. Tell the people around you what you are feeling. They will understand. The world will seem different after this. I can't guarantee that your life will be perfect, but it WILL be more like life...

haha.

the whole meaning of that elis song is basically that some things are impossible and will never happen. weird people talk about how elvis is alive and there is a big fuss about curing cancer. none of it has happened yet and i don't see any of it happening in the near future. just like society and all of the problems with it.

i hate elvis and i don't have cancer.


i'm not gay. i just don't like how people hate others for no reason.

[Noonan McKane]

Gay? As a daffodil.
What's that SawneyBean? Yer not wrong.
I suspect, judging by your arbitrary use of the term "British", that at least 85% of your submitted verse was composed ON THE SPOT.
Don't do that again. (I mean, have you read it?)
TIP: No one's that bothered about Elvis.
TIP: Everyone knows he's dead.
TIP: Everyone knows you can't cure cancer. Dennis Leary told them 10 years ago.

[goodbar]

Gay? As a daffodil.
What's that SawneyBean? Yer not wrong

huh?

Gay? As a daffodil.

I suspect, judging by your arbitrary use of the term "British", that at least 85% of your submitted verse was composed ON THE SPOT.
Don't do that again. (I mean, have you read it?)

do you mean on the spot as in just now or as in when i wrote it? 'cause i barely ever edit crap after i write it. and i did that one quite a few months ago.

TIP: No one's that bothered about Elvis.
TIP: Everyone knows he's dead.
TIP: Everyone knows you can't cure cancer. Dennis Leary told them 10 years ago.

i don't understand what you're saying about the elvis thing.

there are still weirdos that think he's alive and people joke about him being alive.

yes.