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Poem of the Month

Andy Croft
André Fougeron, Massacre at Sakiet III, 1958

André Fougeron
Massacre at Sakiet III 1958
Purchased 2001 © The estate of the André Fougeron
Painting
97.0 x 195.0 cm

Massacre at Sakiet
 
After André Fougeron’s Massacre à Sakiet III
 
How well we know these careless faces -
The naked bodies in a heap,
The ecstasy of death’s embraces,
The young boy smiling in his sleep.
Since they were murdered in Tunisia
In ’58, Death’s gotten busier;
Collateral damage is now the norm
From Palestine to Desert Storm.
We recognise these peaceful features
So well we barely catch our breath;
Who are so intimate with death,
We know their murders barely reach us.
But most of all we know whose boots
Stand guarding over empire’s fruits.

Each month, TATE ETC. publishes new poetry by leading poets such as John Burnside, Moniza Alvi, Adam Thorpe, Alice Oswald and David Harsent who respond to works from the Tate Collection. Subscribe to the Poem of the Month RSS feed.

This June, Andy Croft presents his poem, Massacre at Sakiet, based on André Fougeron's Massacre á Sakiet III. To see this work in the Tate Collection, visit www.tate.org.uk/collection.

The Poetry Society is curating this year's selection in the organisation's centenary year. Founded in 1909, the Society is now one of Britain’s most high-profile arts organisations, helping poets and poetry thrive in Britain and beyond. Membership is open to all, though members include many of the UK’s most eminent poets. It publishes the highly-respected journal Poetry Review; and also works to deliver a programme of poetry in education, supporting and developing creativity among young people and communities. Visit http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk for further information.

Andy Croft’s books of poetry include Nowhere Special, Gaps Between Hills (with Mark Robinson), Headland, Just as Blue, Great North, Comrade Laughter, Ghost Writer and Sticky. He has edited the anthologies Holme and Away, Speaking English, Red Sky at Night (with Adrian Mitchell), North by North East (with Cynthia Fuller), Not Just a Game (with Sue Dymoke) and Night Shift (with Jenny Swann and Michael Baron). He writes a regular poetry column in the Morning Star and runs Smokestack Books.

Andy is the organiser of the Poetry Society Stanza event at Ormesby Hall, outside Middlesbrough, on 9 July 2009. He will be reading alongside other local poets and the distinguished US poet, Frank Reeve, who will be accompanied by two jazz musicians. Ormesby Hall is one of the many National Trust sites hosting Poetry Society Stanza events throughout the year. For more details of this event and others, please visit http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/events