Showing posts with label queenadreena. Show all posts
Showing posts with label queenadreena. Show all posts

Monday, 5 April 2010

The Crows

It’s February, and a dismal forecast when you and I
meet under an ashen sky for the last time. Our breath
makes clouds which suck our voices out of the air,
and you’re wary - conversation is a little too close
for comfort. You’d rather cut
the cords between us and feed my good intentions
to the crows - those black angels sewn
across the skyline and below
where they line the fence, your last defence. Or
is that mine? – the horizon melts into my spine,
shot through with stones and bits of bones
that the birds pick at, but I won’t let
your cold words break
me. You can hiss and lie or kick
and cry all you want, I won’t retaliate – just
weight my words and tip this balance
against you. You spit venom into vapour, but
you won’t atone – you don’t even realise
that this bird’s already flown,
in a flurry of feathers
to crown the end.

The presence of the crows
grows - their wings beat airborne heart-
beats; the fence bleeds black. A fitting
backdrop for what you’re due:
and drop
you
do

.

As for the crows and I,
we’ll take form from formaldehyde
and let our wings kiss the sky. For
the crows know I won’t hide
from the inquisition of their eyes - a weapon
I cannot defuse; an invitation
I cannot refuse – a look
with all the intensity
of love.

* * *

One of the groups I'm in on dA set a monthly challenge called Let Music Be Your Muse, which is really exactly what it sounds - write a piece inspired by music. And this is my entry.

Seeing as my poems are usually inspired by at least one song, I tried to do something a little different and exclusively base it on the idea of one song; that being 'Crows' by QueenAdreena - although, as the album it's from, Djin, is a concept album, I must admit I did take inspiration from other songs on it too.

Any constructive criticism is welcome, and wish me luck in the challenge!


Monday, 22 February 2010

Eating Disorders

The beautiful 'My Silent Undoing' by QueenAdreena


In a world where girls see over 400 advertisements a day telling them how they should look, and 40% of 8-14 year olds are dieting, it isn’t hard to see that eating disorders are a major problem. Eating disorders are estimated to affect 5 to 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States alone, binge eating disorder being the most common, affecting 3.5% of women and 2% of men, followed by bulimia and anorexia nervosa. Anorexia is the most deadly, with the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder: the suicide rate is apparently up to 60 times greater than that of the general population.

In an advanced capitalist world, many more people are at risk of the causes of eating disorders such as stress, media-prompted peer pressure and (often media-prompted) low self-esteem than ever before. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulemia in particular are spreading due to the cultural emphasis on thinness which is (especially) pervasive in western society. There is an unrealistic stereotype of what constitutes beauty and the ideal body type portrayed by the media, fashion and entertainment industries. As Dr Bryan Lask said, this 'cultural pressure on women to be thin is an important predisposing factor for the development of eating disorders.'

This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. And this year, NEDA is calling for everyone to do just one thing: to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders. I hope with this blog I've done something towards achieving this goal.