No Love For Valentine. Poem by Frances Macaulay Forde

March 2003

Valentine's Day 2003 Hans Blix'
will deliver his report to condemn or
free a rebel country held to high ransom,
ruthlessly sanctioned, surveilled and surrounded.

It's supposed to be the day we say who we
love (or secretly admire)want and desire.
A day for smiles - not hate and guided missile
range - 93 miles! Colin Powell talks about

what they didn't do - how they didn't comply…
(He seems uncomfortable with his soldier lot.)
News TV says‘Action could be imminent,
the second Weapons Inspectors leave Iraq.'

Think about that! Thousands who wait, prepare
for, even expect death. North Koreans re-
assemble their power plant and stand ready
to defend against George Bush who says his Armed

Forces ‘are second to none' and can prove it!
Donald Rumsfeld ‘has confidence that we ‘can
do whatever needs to be done…' But Tariq
Aziz - Iraqi Diplomat with a cool

head declares ‘we have not violated
1441'. France vetoed, now Russia and
China won't agree to protect neighbouring
Turkey if there's a war… They've also applied

recently for oil licences along with
all the rest of the world…‘Keep Britain Safe. Be
alert but not alarmed.'No need for tape or
plastic yet, though across the sea, every ‘good

ol' boy' stocked up on water, food and batteries…
Retail giants rub their hands as Mac'ers sets
up next to Pizza Hut, in the sand. A news-
paper carries a notice - ‘US Used Car

Salesman required in the desert.' Seems that the
liberators aim to stay a while - smile and
saunter armed to the teeth.Shannon protestors
gathered to demonstrate against the US

Air Force making our space a target.Naked
solidarity for peace - against a war
that hasn't happened yet…Give it time!6'
6" soldiers wander empty airport halls

at Heathrow and Gatwick. Stanstead has joined
the guarded group and Windsor wonders what's
going on… People in the street ask what to
do if ‘something happens'.I don't know - do you?




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