A passionate bit of writing James - I can see her, doorstepped by a mob of
microphones - but, if we are going to be modern about this, where are the
sirens, social workers and psychiatrists??
P-P
>From: James Bell <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: New sub: Medea And The Media
>Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 13:47:50 +0000
>
>There was a revival of the Euripides a while back and it drew this response
>from me. The thinking is how Greek tragedy fits into our own worlds.
>Re-eading the original play (in translation) I found Euripidies handled his
>theme with a terrific sensitivity the belittles the media pack that hound
>news and make them sensational. So this is where the poem is coming from.
>
>MEDEA AND THE MEDIA
>
>So I killed the kids -
>this is what you want to hear, isn't it?
>
>I killed them after Jason left me and our boys
>for that bitch Glauce, King Creon's daughter.
>
>I'm told for love, but, come on, pull the other one,
>we're all adults here, let's remember I'm not a Greek
>and Corinth aspires to an Athenian sense of order.
>
>You don't want that detail though. Do you?
>Explanation is not vbald enough tragedy
>for a sound bite -
>all you want is a picture of me
>bathed in the blood of my sons
>as I wail and hold their bodies in my arms.
>
>You are all quick to bray like a Greek chorus
>in neat, pat cliche.
>At least they were there to tell the truth,
>be yiour interior conscience to argue with
>and to help the story along.
>
>They weren't false friends either
>and didn't invade your personal space
>with their masks still on.
>
>Remember this though -
>and you can check what Euripides says,
>murdering my lovely sons
>was not the first thing to enter my head.
>Whatever you think it's not full of air -
>and you weren't there.
>
>What? You don't understand,
>either what I say or why I did it by my own hand?
>
>That's it. Interview's over.
>Thanks for coming to the home of Aegeus, son of Pandion.
>
>
>bw
>James
>
>
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