Homeword 24th August

[Catherine Lee]

Why?

For years my parents worshipped here—they passed tradition down;
I’ve done so twenty thousand times myself when I'm in town—
the only central avenue where countless come to pray
for happiness and luck in droves, at some point in their day.
A place of meditation, quiet majesty and peace,
where incense burns and tiny birds are granted their release,
where graceful dancers follow hammered dulcimers and bells
and marigolds and candles are what every vendor sells.
But now there’s something very wrong, and terror reigns supreme,
for evil men have rocked us with their loathsome, ugly scheme.
They’ve entered our beloved shrine and torn our world apart,
then left us stunned, and feeling really destitute in heart.
Our sanctuary’s a scene of carnage—sacred place defiled—
a horror inconceivable which can’t be reconciled.
The site has been reopened and we come to pay respects,
for sudden death has struck in ways that nobody expects.
The innocents are mourned—we stand appalled at senseless waste,
while sadly, vicious culprits at this point remain untraced,
and meanwhile in the pits of hell the demons prance with glee
as more distrust is spread through Earth—more vile insanity.
Though life goes on, Bangkok is weeping, shocked beyond belief—
we never will forget this day of bitter pain and grief.

[Trisha Patterson]

Why indeed? Such a heinous act!
Well written Catherine.
Trish

[Maureen K Clifford]

Very on topic sadly but you made great use of the prompts for this piece Catherine. Love these lines they are just gorgeous - so evocative of the Asian areas.

where graceful dancers follow hammered dulcimers and bells
and marigolds and candles are what every vendor sells.

Poor old Bangkok has really been struck a low blow - so many lives shattered so many dreams tainted. Hard to come to grips with what has happened and the reasoning behind it.

I enjoyed the read Catherine - well done.

[Shelley Hansen]

Topical indeed Catherine - and a vivid word picture. I thought of you and other friends we have in Bangkok when the news came through.
Glad you're safe.

Cheers, Shelley

[Catherine Lee]

Thank you Trisha, Maureen and Shelley, both for your great feedback and kind thoughts. Yes it was a terrible day in Bangkok and even now we can't help thinking back to 'this time last week' and how twenty oblivious people were about to lose their lives and many others sustain serious injuries. It's a crazy, sad world at times, that's for sure.