Tribalism By Ceinwen E. Cariad Haydon

Tribalism

A small dog barks. A bigger, fiercer one barks back,
assured of his dominance of winter’s still, night air.
They’ve never met in daylight, walked in the same pack
as allies, friends, happy to go hunting and to share.

Assured of his dominance of winter’s still, night air
my lover pontificates, states who’s right, who’s wrong.
As allies, friends, once happy to take care and share
our lives, we are now discordant, missing notes in our songs.

My lover pontificates, states who’s right, who’s wrong,
looks down on those unschooled by Guardian silos.
Our lives are now discordant, we miss notes in our songs.
As I tune in to wider knowledge, he sticks to his credos.

Listening to those unschooled by Guardian silos
I long to bridge the gap, reach out, change tack.
I tune into their wider knowledge, my man sticks to his credos.
Many lost dogs bark. A self-righteous one barks back.

Ceinwen E Cariad Haydon, [MA Creative Writing, Newcastle 2017]

Ceinwen lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, and writes short stories and poetry. She has been widely published in web magazines and in print anthologies. She is a Pushcart and Forward Prize nominee. Her first chapbook, Cerddi Bach (Little Poems), was published by Hedgehog Press in 2019. She is developing practice as a participatory arts facilitator, mainly with elders and intergenerational groups. She believes everyone’s voice counts.