From Pillar To Post Here We Go Poem by Sarah Mkhonza

From Pillar To Post Here We Go



The call has been sounded,
yet we swing from pillar to post.

The sounding of the call astounds
us. One watching the movements
wonders why this swing from
here to there.

This migration endless has caught
us unawares. Nobody plans to be
going from pillar to post. Yet on
and on we go.

The cry of a child once meant we
were home. Today it means life has
nowhere to rest it's head. Weary are
those whose journeys drive them from
pillar to post.

We walk on their shadows,
we invisible wanderers,
wondering when our own
traverse will come to
an end. The places of
wondering, like village
gardens have been claimed.
They have been planted and
weeded with a fine combing
that says no immigrants here.

Yesterday stands in the past
in this call that sounded when
the guns fired and pellets hit
the wall. Get out! Their sound
was what began this wandering
from pillar to post.

Immigrants have no mark on the
forehead. Nothing leads them on.
Their north star is hope for a
place to lay one's head and a
drink of warmth from the small
cup. Your movements from pillar
to post, teach you to open the door.
One day the sound will be for you.
From pillar to post, you will move
hoping someone will open a door.

Saturday, December 2, 2017
Topic(s) of this poem: life
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Bri Edwards 24 July 2018

(cont.) I THINK many people's (symbolic, but all-too-troubling-at-times, or primed-to-anticipate-trouble) movements from pillar to post cause them to beware of immigrants, especially during times of economic downturns or fears of people who are 'different'. a poem to ponder. well-written. bri :)

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Bri Edwards 24 July 2018

(cont.) pellets? are you really talking of guns, and really about immigrants? normally i would think of 'bullets' coming from guns, but there are shotgun 'pellets' (MANY) which are thrown out by shotguns. [OUCH! ! ] (cont.)

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Bri Edwards 24 July 2018

(cont.) NOW i can read poem! stanza 4: its, not it's...ha ha. i think not an uncommon typo. traverse..(noun) traveling, wandering, roaming i especially like wanderers, wondering, but later, places of wondering? do you mean to type wandering? if not, i wonder what you mean. the story, not read in full yet, seems a bit mysterious. i think it is too symbolic for me! (cont.)

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Bri Edwards 24 July 2018

(cont.) something shaped like a pillar. a pillar of smoke a person or thing regarded as reliably providing essential support for something. he was a pillar of his local community synonyms: stalwart, mainstay, bastion, rock; More.......thanks Google (cont.)

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Bri Edwards 24 July 2018

from pillar to post phrase of pillar** 1. from one place to another in an unceremonious or fruitless manner. the refugees have been pushed from pillar to post in that area - - - - - ** PILLAR: synonyms: column, post, support, upright, baluster, pier, pile, pilaster, stanchion, prop, newel; obelisk, monolith stone pillars (CONT.)

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