Geoff William
Czech Contrasts 1971 - Ostrava
I walk through brown cities, somewhere in Central Europe-
secretly in the night, a frost has whitened the streets
crystallising the golden leaves- there is snow on the hills:
Even the steelworks have stopped belching; only
an abandoned orange haze hangs over the city-
People in new coats steam briskly through the streets.
Later the Autumn threw its flames
through the Moravian hills.
Children play in dust-brown fields: it has been a dry summer.
A green train flashes past: no longer
the noise of trains on the city streets.
The people will only go so far. To go on
is forbidden by the State. They are afraid
of what we have to offer - perhaps with due reason.
But the church bells ring in defiance
to the steelworks: the people
turn east to face the altar, seeing no Red Star.
It is strange. I do not understand-
the tanks, perhaps, are a symbol.
The youth speaks English
in preference to Russian.
Page(s) 17
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