Life Support
By Jacinta-Maria Ifeoluwapo Chidiebere Wajero
Winner, ‘Growing Word’ Category
She was oxygen; transparent.
Like the infinite windows she wiped
Infinite like the spiraling stairs she scrubbed
Which made her dizzy looking up
She was oxygen; invisible.
Discounted, dismissed, disregarded
By the poisonous pontifical people
Parading in a pool of palpable pride.
She was oxygen; lethal.
Eloquent and valiant and beautifully strong
Vivacity screamed through her humble mumbles
When provoked into a monoxide of carbon
She was oxygen; exposed.
PPEless without a choice in the matter
Wiping diseased desks deprived of protective clothes.
Did her voice, her opinion, her thoughts not matter?
She was oxygen; everywhere.
In escalators, corridors, toilets, canteens
Molecular, with her mop and bucket and netted hair
Anywhere deemed dirty enough to require a clean
She was oxygen.
She was exploited and unappreciated
If they were on life support, maybe then
They’d cherish her diligent efforts.
Maybe then they’d treasure her time.
Maybe then they’d prize her profession.
Maybe then they’d realize.
She was oxygen. Crucial.
Judge’s Comments (Cecilia Knapp)
“It was so incredibly hard to choose a winning poem, the entries into this category were all so so strong and are all worthy of celebration. The poems I read were full of human stories, hope, appreciation, joy and protest. Ultimately it had to come down to what felt original, and so therefore stayed with me. This winning poem really stood out. I enjoyed the careful thought and commitment to the metaphor of oxygen. The writer chose to stay with the subject of the poem and really focus in on that, rather than making more general statements about the pandemic and key workers. The result of this choice is that we really feel invested, we are allowed to explore the subject from all different angles, each stanza bringing something new and surprising. The appreciation, in all its different ways, is really felt; this poem has an impact. It makes the reader see things differently. It highlights the role of an often invisible and undervalued member of society and challenges this in original ways. The repetition is used really effectively to propel us through the poem and the command of language is so exciting; ‘poisonous pontifical people.’ It feels human, full of startling images that will stay with the reader, but also has a wider message of appreciation for all key workers. What a bold and successful piece!”
Growing Word poems