Not Vulnerable Enough

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Poet Kevin Higgins and a portrait of himself by artist Chris Banahan

Kevin writes:

This poem (below) refers, at the end, to my lack, thus far of a vaccination date despite my condition

‘Liberals’ &’Death’

Two words that strut confident of
their own historical inevitability.
Everyone in time meets them,
though hopefully not both
ringing your door bell
the same day,
unless your name is
Nagasaki or Vietnam;

or you’re the first village
no-one’s ever heard of
successfully abolished
from thirty thousand feet
by a transgender person
pressing a button;

or you’re the first Somali in history
proudly turned into a pile of burning mince
by a drone designed by a woman of colour;

or you’re the wrong type of Australian
whose computer told us the names
of the obliterated
and so can only leave prison
in a fair-trade white cardboard box;

or you’re me, delighted
to expire unvaccinated rather
than spark a diplomatic kerfuffle
by sticking in my bicep
something as sinister sounding as Sputnik
without written permission from Brussels

who’ll surely deliver
a keynote speaker to my grave
to thank my corpse for its contribution,
and find a plausible way of saying:
I’m down here, getting acquainted with the snails
so they can be up there, polishing their idea of themselves.

Kevin Higgins

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6 thoughts on “Not Vulnerable Enough

  1. Johnny

    It’s a national embarrassment and humiliation the likes which I’ve never seen nor experienced,initially I was omg I can’t f…k believe it’s ‘safer’ to be in IRELAND….than NY….just my luck Trump is president we all going DIE like dogs in the streets,TRUMP,can I get into Canada
    ah,the new guy hadn’t changed much,but we do have lots and lots vaccines.

    At first I was wow,good for Ireland,there was quite bit of media attention here,look,look Irish people believe in science,we elect doctors,now ffs so glad I’m stateside where the nurses have not taken over,people in states think it’s you guys that are crazy,over the outdoor activities that’s just hysteria.

    Kevin I’ve no idea about vaccines or when your getting one or if it’s safe, but it’s very much available here,in NY anyone who brings a 75 year and older person,gets one just for brining them in.

    The only ‘deal’ Yellen/Biden want is increased tax’s on corporations,I don’t see much help without that from Irl,probably more luck with the Russians indeed.The mood music in states is very,very triumphant, with many comparisons to the roaring 20’s.Very soon every single person will have FREE access vaccines,full summer ahead with all resorts operating on waiting lists.

    Ireland has a massive pharmaceutical base,there just has be a backroom deal to be cut,they yank firms no morals or issues diverting supply,none whatsoever,cash talks bs walks just go cut a deal.

    The reality is they can’t even do that.

    1. Paulus

      It’s the stream-of-conciousness module for the honours class. The tutor is a naked emperor.

  2. Nigel

    FINALLY somebody brave enough to point out what’s REALLY wrong with the world: black people, trangender people, the Fair Trade brand, and not trusting Putin.

  3. Bertie blenkinsop

    I’d like him to be vaccinated but equally I’d like an end to his godawful poetry.
    Quite the moral dilemma.

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