Dona Eis Requiem Sempiternam

National Health and Safety month:
At the moment a period of irony.
One of ours just lost her lifelong sweetheart
In a workplace accident.

We may be dead of soul
But we band together
To support each other.
With her, we mourn.

We review our health and safety
Every year.  Twice a year.
This time these reviews have a bitter tang.
Now they bear mortal relevance.

When people explain health and safety protocols
Listen to them.
It is bad enough to be maimed by stupidity.
It is bad enough to be injured because of recklessness or arrogance.

It is a  worse injury to your loved ones if you die.

To ignore them would be to let her down.
To ignore them would be to dishonour him.
To ignore them would dishonour all
Who tragically lost their lives at work...

In a manner that was avoidable.

Dona eis requiem sempiternam...

Honour them by being safe at work.

Another Beginning

Now is the start
Of a new school term,
When I tear myself free
From flesh-eating worms.
But I walk through
These doors again,
And in my head
They burrow and den.

A darker self
I cannot hide
Is a soul-less slave,
A Capitalist corpse-bride.
New-hire child--
They send you to me
To learn the ways
Of the Retail Zombies.

I'll walk you through
The growing pains
And teach you how
To feast on brains;
To navigate


In time you too
Will swell the rout
Of those who died
From the soul on out,
Unless you flee.
Adjust to the gloom
Of Un-life
In a Supermarket tomb