Early Works - Cries Poem by David Harris

Early Works - Cries

A cry of help from a distraught mind,
a cry ignored for too many years,
but in the midst of desperation
threats of violence rears its head
scenes of anguish and conflict fare
in a soul, which wonders if anyone really cares.
Far from being a lonely cry
hundreds, maybe thousands
the fate of this lonely soul share.
We ask ourselves how can this be.
Sadly, the welfare of us all is held
in the hands of faceless persons playing god,
they are those who wanted the Midas Touch.
They demolished the neighbour help relationship well
pulling down communities, isolating them in little boxes.
“For the better welfare of us all.” They cried,
then countless jumped from tower blocks and died
and the faceless ones went on their way
without a tear of sorrow shed.
As the years slipped through our fingers
the cries go on unabated and ignored
until young lives are held high in demonstration,
young lives which showed so much promise
and who share our world no more
as the cries gone never ending with despair.
While the biggest question is never answered
is there really any help out there.


30 July - 6 August 1985

Authors Note:
This poem was written about a Government report that showed the mistakes of the 1960s when communities were destroyed in the wake of tower block revolution.