FIRE FIGHTER
I am the fire fighter
But not the one you know
Stand by. The clocks are watching
The face I cannot show
A screaming punch. A fire!
The dealer’s back-turned stab
A kiss may never reach her
The angels smash and grab
Ignite the fire inside me
Turn up my molten core
Let rip a surge of duty
And hear my siren roar
It hurts me when I see
The sickled reaper’s gown
Face me with your fury
And I will face you down
*
Embers. Cinders. Silence
A broken brush. That sand
That stain. Glass windows shattered
Her life slipped through my hand
No swagger makes a man
Like death can break him down
No fighter heals a wound
In sorrow lakes can’t drown
Don’t treat me like a hero
I’m broken to the core
Crying havoc in my head
The dogs of silent war
It haunts me when I see
The sickled reaper’s gown
Face me with your fury
And I will face you down
*
I am the fire fighter
But not the one for show
Stand by. The clocks are watching
The face you need to know
I’m here and standing proud
I’m a fighter and I’m frail
I’m here to save a life
It hurts me when I fail
Compassion screams. A punch!
The dealer hits the slab
A kiss may reach her next time
The angels smash and grab
It moves me when I see
The sickled reaper’s gown
Face me with your fury
And I will face you down
Tim Coburn
September, 2015
Copyright © Tim Coburn
All Rights Reserved
FIRE FIGHTER
Notes
Written for Andy Steele and White Watch of the Carlisle Fire Brigade and for ‘White Watch’, an art exhibition at The Old Fire Station, Carlisle.
I spent an evening shift with White Watch to understand the lived experience of being a firefighter. Road traffic accidents account for over 80% of casualties attended to by the fire service. I read the poem to White Watch for their approval, before presenting it as a sound installation at the ‘White Watch’ exhibition.
FIND YOUR VOICE
Writing a poem is an adventure into new territory. Poetic form has a different phraseology to conversational prose – it changes the boundaries of how we usually speak. For expressive clarity, poetry uses more imagery, metaphor and story. Words and meaning are more deliberately considered. As well as making sense in written words, poetry conveys its meaning in sound and how it makes us feel. To make a poem work, our vocabulary is stretched, our word hoard expanded and our vocal identity enriched.
The development of vocal identity extends to every aspect of your life – your voice is the medium by which you get things done. With communication and conversational skills so central to who we are as human beings, I have always been interested in the effect writing poetry has on the clarity, confidence and effectiveness with which we talk. I addition to sharing poetry and my reflections on it, I offer short talk and workshops for leaders, team members and technical specialists who want to improve the quality and impact of their voice.
If this appeals to you, please get in touch.
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