Caveman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Several people have told me they are dreading Christmas this year because they have chosen to play safe and stay at home rather than risk the usual Christmas get-togethers with family and friends; it is, of course, a choice millions of people around the world are facing all the time this year, whether or not they celebrate Christmas. Other religious festivals have come and gone and there has been no talk of easing safety precautions, but left to celebrants to use their own judgement and common sense in what continues to be hard times for everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or religion. 

Now, this short poem has been revised since it was written 1974 and appeared first in my collection in 2001 and later on the blog. Somehow, I suspect even a Stone Age man or woman would have been able to relate to it.  Certainly, many people facing varying degrees of self-isolation and/ or living alone will know how it feels, especially this year, given changes - often at short notice - regarding the various safely regulations and advice issued by Governments. 

Even without a pandemic to contend with, the ups and downs of life can easily give us a false sense of security for a while, only to plunge us into a gloomy reality sooner rather than later. 

That’s life, I guess. We can but put our best foot forward and carry on with hope and resolve in our hearts that, somehow, we will weather whatever storm threatens and things can only get better; keeping an eye on the brighter side of life has to be as good an inspiration as any to motivate us, surely? 

Many of us will be spending Christmas alone this year rather than risk Covd-19 striking our more vulnerable loved-ones and friends. Some of us may be able to get together on line via video links, while others can look back on happier times, invite their favourite ghosts to nestle in the heart and make merry in the ear; not a perfect Christmas, but not so sad a one, either, and now that a vaccine is on its way, we can at least start looking forward to a much happier 2021 … eventually.

 CAVEMAN

In a damp gloom
I wander sometimes, stumble, 
bang my head 
on sudden stone, hear a thrash
of bats’ wings;
though thoughts take flight
to that sunny world 
from which they came, chances are,
that (much like bats)
they are left groping for the truth 
of things, if only
to rediscover history, colonies
of bats in other caves

Now, face to the sun, 
back to the wind, caressing long grass
and  - free...!

Till, suddenly, bats’ wings

[From: Love And Human Remains by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2001.]