The Island of Gates

 

 

This island is waiting for a gate

a gate in steel or a gate in glass

a gate stretching the concept of gate

a deflecting gate in a gap in the circuitboard

a gate that will not be relocated brick by brick

a gate not a door, not a house, not a barre

a gate that cannot be locked

on an island that cannot be reached

all designs will be hacked

the aliens have already arrived

a gate is what’s needed, they’ll say

on the island of gates

in the city of eyes

 

 

5 Comments

  1. john says:

    Nice words Tom. Like the line and idea about aliens landing…got confused by “barre”…thought it was a ye olde way of saying Barry. My ignorance no doubt

  2. Tom says:

    Thanks John, that’s very kind of you to say.

    ‘Barre’ is an archaic form of the ‘bar’ or ‘bars’ that were used to block entrance to walled cities, in this case at Aldgate in London.

  3. Tom says:

    & the writing of this poem was provoked by the announcement of a sculpture to mark the site of the long-removed city gate at Aldgate. According to the published CGI image, the sculpture (or new ‘gate’) looks like a giant croquet hoop. I think it’s tied into the 2012 Olympics in some way.

  4. Bruce says:

    Excellent as ever Mr Chivers.

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