We seek shelter from the sudden sun
within this city of concrete class,
everything here is concreted,
change is considered
but takes centuries to occur.
I have been asked for fax numbers,
offered cheque books and been told
that fibre is only forming and would dial-up not do?!
We seek shelter from the storms
here in this city that sites class and culture
above the chaos that is corrupting.
Everything here is cornered in concrete.
Shadows have been whitewashed
and the pigeons sprayed
in a shade of peace
the seers cannot swallow
I watch the streets be swept clean
of history, locals reopening in boroughs
they’ve been blighted to,
to Hell or to Connaught
we were once told in Ireland,
from Paris to the peripherique
is the new phase as designers dig up
the bones of the barely dead,
so our city can look chicer, sweeter, safer.
I seek the only thing time has taken.
The past gets further while the shadows get stronger.
We seek shelter
under palaces still being prized
for their no longer pristine polish.
A second star does not a paradise make.
All words and photographs by Damien B. Donnelly
Damien B. Donnelly 
Great! Your post suddenly popped up so I called Nigel over to look at the photo. Its amazing! The bare trees bending over toward the impressions on the wall. Stunning! So then I read out the poem and we both burst out laughing part way through, at the “would dial-up not do?”. Glad we were both still up to enjoy your latest post!
Glad it brought a laugh! I can laugh now that I have some fibre! Five internet providers later! Hope you are both well! Just back in the door from Dublin and birthday celebrations and sing songs!!!
That sounds so much fun Dami! Sing songs, how wonderful. Happy Birthday as I’m assuming you’re referring here to your own. So you and Nigel are both July birthdays! 🙂
Actually it was my mums birthday, and for some reason it’s the most celebrated birthday in the whole family- I think it’s her joy of life that draws everyone around her!!
She sounds lovely Dami! My mum also was very joyful (and her name is Joyce). Funny thing is, although I admired and loved my mum I’m much more like my dad! He was someone who always liked to have company and me being the only one at home – I was usually the company! I inherited a lot of his traits for better or worse; its probably helped me understand him better than I would have otherwise. Sorry, gone on a bit here. Still feeling thoughtful. Will snap out of it now!
I think to keep flowing onwards is so much better than a snap. Keep going my dear