XR

here I lay
on the cold wet square I take my final stand
surrounded by lions the never-ending roars of fountains
Horatio must be proud of me
in service to my country I follow unconventional tactics
a coffin carries our future

here I stand
arm in arm disrupting traffic
honouring the militia of the Night Watch
defending the future of my city valiant and steadfast
no compassion for deniers
at last I said no to the neon jackets

here I wave
a red flag to this charging bull
for too long it ran the show dictating when I cheered
having arrived at the faena I put my feet in position
this is it
this is where I pull my sword



Notes

In October 2019, activists around the world protested at well-known spots in major cities to address the current political level of (in)action to the climate crisis. These protests were organized by Extinction Rebellion, a protest group that uses non-violent civil disobedience. Haroon Siddique and Damien Gayle reported for The Guardian on these protests. This poem travels several well-known cities and the XR protests organized.
   


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