I was in manchester for an extended weekend of celebration. On Saturday I performed at The 02 Apollo with Leftfield, On Sunday I had my birthday party at King St Townihuse, on Monday I had a meal at the Lord Mayors Parlour in tribute to Maria Balshaw CBE. I was riding high on a tidal wave of love. I awoke on Tuesday morning to a distraught city amongst a tidal wave of bodies.
I walked down Market St, with my friend Jason, to The Royal Exhange. A woman stopped me with tears in her eyes “I’m glad you’re here. Thankyou.” The whole city was caught inside the storm surge. We hadn’t come up for air yet.
The flagship newspapers, tv and radio news programmes started calling. Do I have a statement? I felt alone. Do I have a statement? I felt the cold hands grab my ankles. Do I have a statement? I had a train to catch back to London. Do I have a statement. I promised the guardian I would write an article on the train. I’m numb. I receive a call asking me to be on the steps of the town hall for the people. I arrive back in London unable to write the article. And feel a real sense of guilt for not being back in Manchester.
BBC World at One call me. “we just want to broadcast your morning tweet.” They say.
A poem from @lemnsissay written in the aftermath of the Manchester attack. pic.twitter.com/bOyWpv8Zkt
— The World at One (@BBCWorldatOne) May 24, 2017
Shucks. Welled up.
Welling is good.
How does one find words when you are completely Heart broken there are no words xxxxx I’m so sorry xxxxx
You can’t be everywhere all the time. What’s important is not what everyone says in the first hours or days, but what we all do day in day out to stick together and understand how to live our lives. Exactly as you have been doing long since.
Thanks Jim.
Oh Lemn I feel your guilt. I had been there on the weekend too and left Sunday. When I heard what had happened my instinct was to return ‘home’ but couldn’t. The pull has been even greater in recent days as psychologist friends tell me they are starting to support families of those lost. I feel I should be there helping. But the beauty of Manchester is that it’s always in our hearts and we are always in Manchesters ❤️
Thanks Audrey. I hve various places I call “home”
I know. I listened to a talk you posted on your blog a while back about ‘home’. Ive lived in Oxford for a while but it’s not home. Manchester is. However over the years my heart has found a home with various people, in relationships and while that’s been amazing it’s also been devastating when the door is closed to you by some of these homes. I’ve felt adrift at those times, my heart seeking shelter. Home is complicated – and lovely. I know you know about this ❤️
Dear Lemn ,thankyou for this tweet.in a state of shock words are so hard to find.One fears saying something trite. , This simple poem filled me with hope for the future.Feel no guilt ,you have helped to ease my pain.Those who live far away suddenly feel so lost and lonely ,Take carexx
Thanks Patricia
You don’t need to write articles or make statements – your beautiful poetry speaks to all so eloquently and powerfully ❤️
Thanks
Says it all. Thank you, Lemn.
Thanks Jill