Monday 15 April 2013

Poem for the Hillsborough disaster by Carol Ann Duffy



The 96 Liverpool supporters who lost their lives at Hillsborough, 24 years ago were remembered in the anniversary memorial service yesterday. A memorial was unveiled at Old Haymarket and an antique clock was installed at Liverpool Town hall and set at 15.06 the time of the tragedy.
Families will gather at Anfield later today for an annual memorial service , a minutes silence will be held, with the names of the 96 fans who died read out, and a candle lit in memory of each victim.
The truth of what people have been saying for 24 years is finally emerging with the undeniable truth now recovered and revealed , and the fight for justice is reaching a conclusion.
Here is a touching poem by Carol Ann Duffy about the Hillsborough disater.

The Cathedral bell, tolled, could never tell;

nor the Liver Birds, mute in their stone spell;

or the Mersey, though seagulls waild, cursed, overhead,

in no language for the slandered dead...

not the raw, red throat of the Kop, keening,

or the cops' words censored of meaning;

not the clock, slow handclapping the coroner's deadline,

or the memo to Thatcher, or the tabloid headline...

but fathers told of their daughters; the names of sons

on the lips of their mothers like prayers; lost ones

honoured for bitter years by orphan, cousin, wife-

not a matter of footbal, but of life.

Over this great city, light after dark;

truth, the sweet silver song of the lark.





3 comments:

  1. So good to hear it read by the lady herself at the Ed Fest. Very very moving. 96 reasons why The Sun is the most despicable newspaper in the world. 96 reasons why Kelvin McKenzie is a despicable journalist.96 reasons why the British Establishment is corrupt to the eyeballs

    ReplyDelete
  2. So good to hear it read by the lady herself at the Edinburgh Festival. 96 reasons why The Sun Newspaper is the flagship of the gutter press. 96 reasons why Kelvin McKenzie is a gutter journalist.96 reasons why The British Establishment is a corrupt institution.

    ReplyDelete
  3. cheers for the comment, the truth has long ago emerged, but I feel justice still has nt been served. We should be proud of the courage and tenacity of the campaigners, and remember to never by the bloody sun. I never have nor will I ever will. Regards.

    ReplyDelete