St. George’s Day 2020

He landed [dondurucu]
under a northern star
on Kent’s stones/ Glib
shingle hindered him –

a slow-toddled walk on
this ever-algae’d land –
[his arrival was met by
many ill-faste lanyards]

He will aim to win grith
by his time-kept faith –
& until then be bedded
‘neath a low flight path

into LHR in a box room
[three-in-a-bed etcetera –
& narrowed bandwidth
of internet connections]

He cannot sleep easily
on his smarting wings
[sprouted after battles
against parochial sins]

& too soon he is re-set
[his crown to his chest]
& beseeches for return
to his disposed mess –

before England called –
Georgius finds warmth
bled under his donated
Red Cross coat – armed

with prayers to one God
& truth to himself [Beni
eve götür] Tran/ Take me
home? Let Georgius loose

to save his own – let this
stolen Saint return to his
land – still unassimilated/
Efface him – not a tattoo

Smoke Over Paris

Their Lady of Paris burnt
in one online afternoon
Her re-imagined spire
tipped to robes of smoke

like a bloodied lance
in surrender – once more –
to politics and holy battles
in a kindless fog of war

Her heated metals ran
as dark beaded sweats
from her swealing heights
to leave cooled scabs

of Saint Thomas – and others –
spattered across worn stones
under her collapsed transept
Those slabs will be saved

with high relics – rescued
from clouds above la quatrième
No puzzle of scattered ashes –
France has her couronne d’épines

St. George’s Day

Saint George [born high – near Syria]
now contused – laid low from media –
long-stuck in Calais [no marching on]
having traded his armour & Ascalon

No visa or passport [or formal hope]
Geo. put his faith in another ‘s boat –
draped in charity [wears Red Cross] –
he eyed a UK – but his heart did not –

for over 700 years we carried him far
[flag of little England & tattoed scars]
We revered that saviour of virgin life
but now eschew his foreign field cries

[Geo. can’t last another winter’s maul
& wake – to breathe-in Europe’s thaw –
he hears death-rattles under his tent –
he’ll not survive – count him as dead]