Friday, 23 August 2024 08:39

The Kristallnacht Variations

Written by
in Poetry
500
The Kristallnacht Variations

The Kristallnacht Variations

by James O'Brien

Children of rape in a disputed territory,
Cry from diseased hinterlands, abandoned,
The striated embellishment of the spray can,
The incendiary enticement of petrol,

Your ink read now, your voice,
Revealed as a voided contest,
You were encouraged to vent your bile,
How proud you appear now,

In White zones of rage and fire,
In your zero hour bind,
Chasing immigrant vermin to burn,
Your petrol bombed hate crime,

A low despicable machete,
To the coronation necklace,
The black tyre smoke consuming,
To ‘…a spontaneous bit of banter’.

Five words spoken from dead English hearts,
“Kill the fucking migrant cunts”.

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James O Brien

James O'Brien is an award-winning playwright, poet, filmmaker and political activist. He was made an Honorary Member of the N.U.M. during the Miners Strike, 1984-5. He was the PCS Branch Secretary at Tate Modern 2000-16 and led a series of strikes against austerity and attacks on workers' rights and pay.