Tuesday, September 2, 2025

What I Learnt From Watching Television Archeology (Poems I've written #9)

 

What I Learnt From Watching Television Archeology

 

We've found another body! Cut

to cleavage shots of fine young animal:

bare shoulders, swinging breasts,

definitely female. Adult, young,

still fertile. On her knees, undressing

bones; the mouth gapes and the skull,

turned sideways, concentrates

upon the probing knife.

Fade in the expert to explain

what is revealed: age

in the worn tooth. A woman,

by her pelvis.  Cause of death?

A subject for some further tests.

Linger on the living now,

back in the ditch, tanned flesh,

strong legs .  We learn so much

about a culture from the way it treats a body.

The way it is displayed for viewing

reveals the truth of what is valued.



I used to watch a famous television program devoted to archaeology. This was the reason i stopped. 

The poem is taken from 'Rough Spun to Close Weave'.  Copies and other samples available from www.liamguilar.com

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