Bridgeen, the Gap
By Randall Steohen Hall
A Drumcree Weather Forecast . .
The tensions were high at Drumcree
But three women left their friends
And headed across the narrow ground.
Out beyond the sound
Of the stand off protesters.
Into the clearing
And a certain calm.
With less pushback from the rain
Or any man.
Moving forward
For love takes you there.
“I want to shake their hands” she said
The two other women agreed
While suggesting that, at times
Bridgeen could be . .
A bit of a nut job . . .
These women began to weave
Their way forward, past the long years
To 1795, the Peep O’ Day Boys
And the Defenders.
Grown out of commerce, competition
And secret oaths made by agrarian brotherhoods.
But, in this case, they moved
To the paradise and the oasis
Of creative thinking.
‘You look hungry” she said
To the older Orange men.
“It’s been a long day for you . . .”
Then she offered the hot coffee
From the warmth of her thermos.
There was a pause . .
They looked at her and eventually smiled
Grudgingly.
“That’s wild”, he said
“That you would do that for me, love”
And with what almost seemed
Like a wee sparkling tear in his eye
He spoke candidly . . .
“For I can’t see my way forward.
Not here, not anywhere.”
She reached out and touched his hand.
Himself and the two wise Orange men
All childhood friends
Accepted this simple offer of kindness
In all the confusion that swirled
Amongst the day, near the Garvaghy Road.
Up close, and sharing these egg sandwiches
They were in a magical bubble.
For there was no trouble between them.
Time moved slowly, with a gap in the air.
A moment, worth sharing.
More sympathetically here
As a spirit of adventure guided the heart.
To lovingly, intervene and part the ways
To small exchanges like this one
On wet days, in need of coffee
And cultural speed dating.
What would tomorrow bring?
And what would the papers say?
What would the podcasters and the International media
Sing, in the morning?
When the dark spell broke
At Drumcree . . . and the rain stopped.
Just for a moment.
(Ach sure, a man can dream
Can’t he?)
www.randallstephenhallsongs.
Peace Love and more Cat Food
AKA. Dangerous Banana
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