‘A Message in the Halloween Decorations’ and Other Poetry by Damian Robin

A Message in the Halloween Decorations
(Based on a True Story)

Compressed and clandestine, the Chinese script small,
The paper slip’s flimsy “Will it get out at all?”

He’s hidden it under a base plastic tray
In Halloween décor, some Westerners display.

Will anyone find it and what will they say?
“It’s a hoax, a bad joke, go throw it away.”

He’s scared of these thoughts as they ice up his head,
“Will a guard find the pen?” still packs him with dread.

He’s locked to a workload he cannot not do,
Keyed to more workers, a forced-work-fed crew,

For when this run’s finished a million or ten,
Another one’s started, they’ll still be worked then.

In One Dimension

For Annie and Richard Hollis

Round a planet far from home,
Fists of pain are rife;
Their clasps confine, a double dome
Bent on stifling life.

The squeezing hands have base, palm lines
Whose baselines fall and fall
As universal growth shows signs
That crack each knuckle’s ball.

One new face fills every place –
Brightens every scene –
The fingers split! Show slits of space
Where stars fit in between!

Cosmic culture bursts and cleaves!
The past’s grip drowns in sky!
Roots grow staves! Old time leaves!
Notes cascade and fly!

Full orchestras blare!

It’s the very last page!

All instruments make song!

A blasting,
crash-end-oh-ing
coming-of-age –

“Dafa!”
“Falun Gong!”

Damian Robin is a writer and poet living in England.