The Backwards Year
The clock chimes and begins again,
But this is the backwards year.
Unassuming but cruelly fated,
The enduring arches of Time begin to crumble.
Great power exposed with a silent crash.
The shielded people look only ahead,
Until the ancient dust settles and stood in ash,
In months, 400,000 of their own, dead.
Chaos spreads like a blaze —
Burning through the faith and admiration
For those behind the desk,
And making victims of the ones working to protect.
‘Turn it back!’ cry the forgotten families,
But the days revolt and soon rush by.
Loved ones together, only in the cemeteries,
A new way of life, we must comply.
Amongst the sorrow and unsparing pain,
The smoke and cinders linger,
But in the ash – a gentle flicker,
Our Love, propelling us forward,
As it always will.
The eternal instinct which embraces all,
Healing and rebuilding, as Time remains still.
A promise that we will never fall.
Editors for The Backwards Year not yet setup.
New Beginnings is our third and final volume of 2020. It is also our longest yet, with close to 100 pieces having been sent in for review from over 80 writers. Additionally, this volume marks a step towards making our initiative even more inclusive, having opened submissions for art and photography, too.
2021 may not be the new beginning for which we are all hoping. In fact, it is likely that the world will stay largely the same. However, that doesn’t stop us doing what we can to make it a little better. In supporting and being involved in an initiative whose primary motivation is to build one another up, our team and readership have certainly proven to be committed to making positive change already.
First published by Ta Voix 2020