The Bataclan, site of a terrorist attack in France.‘Hide and Seek at the Bataclan’ by Elizabeth Boquet The Society November 19, 2016 Poetry, Terrorism 18 Comments Paris, 13 November 2015 The hiders: cheaters with suicide-belted access to ethereal hiding places — traceless but for grieving faces searching sidewalks. The seekers: police, army, press corps, beloved — my son in front of the TV. I try to shove the new rules into our silent conversation. The Bataclan echoes, Come out! Come out wherever you are! but nobody can breakout from their infinite hiding spots. Us and them. We’re all entangled in an eternal endgame. Nobody wins. Together, we’re all it. With an MA in French from Middlebury College, Elizabeth considers herself lucky to reside in Switzerland where she can live daily life in French while thriving on English as a writer, teacher of English as a Foreign Language, chair of Pernessy Poets and active member of the Geneva Writers’ Group. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. CODEC Stories:Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) 18 Responses Leon November 19, 2016 Forza Elizabeth! Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 20, 2016 Grazie mille, Leon! Your creation, “Pernicolo” inspired me. Reply Eric Hamblett November 19, 2016 Wonderful! Enjoyed this very much. Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 20, 2016 Thanks so much, Mr. Hamblett! Reply John Ronan November 19, 2016 Top notch. Very fine work. Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 21, 2016 Thank you very much! Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 21, 2016 PS If ever you’d like to see more, I have a blog: https://oakstoacorns.blogspot.ch Sydney Caitlin Howell November 20, 2016 A resounding “yes”, Liz. It is comforting to have even hard truths named. Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 20, 2016 Agreed! Not at all sure I managed it completely but appreciate your encouraging words. Reply Roderick Vincent November 20, 2016 Very witty poem, Elizabeth. Powerful to juxtapose a kid’s games against terrorism in that it is all so childish if you lift off in a space rocket and soak in the earth as a small blue marble floating serenely in the blackness and see we are all one and together here…So I loved the last line Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 20, 2016 Thanks very much for the feedback, Mr. Vincent. Very interesting insight. Reply Hope November 21, 2016 So eloquently written!!! Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 21, 2016 Thank you very much, Hope. It’s lovely to get such positive feedback ! Reply Walburga Appleseed November 24, 2016 An extraordinary poem. I’m a fan. Reply Liz November 24, 2016 Oh wow! Then you are my first fan! Thanks so much. Reply Jenny Lind Schmitt November 27, 2016 This poem captures the horrible sadness of this event. Hide and seek – what a perfect, ironic metaphor for our disbelief in the face of tragedy. Thank you. Reply Elizabeth Boquet November 28, 2016 So glad the poem can be read that way — especially by you, Ms. Schmitt. Wasn’t at all sure how it would be taken. Reply Tomás Ó Cárthaigh January 22, 2017 Fine tribute, alas the likes will happen again and again… Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Captcha loading...In order to pass the CAPTCHA please enable JavaScript. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Elizabeth Boquet November 21, 2016 PS If ever you’d like to see more, I have a blog: https://oakstoacorns.blogspot.ch
Sydney Caitlin Howell November 20, 2016 A resounding “yes”, Liz. It is comforting to have even hard truths named. Reply
Elizabeth Boquet November 20, 2016 Agreed! Not at all sure I managed it completely but appreciate your encouraging words. Reply
Roderick Vincent November 20, 2016 Very witty poem, Elizabeth. Powerful to juxtapose a kid’s games against terrorism in that it is all so childish if you lift off in a space rocket and soak in the earth as a small blue marble floating serenely in the blackness and see we are all one and together here…So I loved the last line Reply
Elizabeth Boquet November 20, 2016 Thanks very much for the feedback, Mr. Vincent. Very interesting insight. Reply
Elizabeth Boquet November 21, 2016 Thank you very much, Hope. It’s lovely to get such positive feedback ! Reply
Jenny Lind Schmitt November 27, 2016 This poem captures the horrible sadness of this event. Hide and seek – what a perfect, ironic metaphor for our disbelief in the face of tragedy. Thank you. Reply
Elizabeth Boquet November 28, 2016 So glad the poem can be read that way — especially by you, Ms. Schmitt. Wasn’t at all sure how it would be taken. Reply
