A Silent War - Reclaimed (B.S.L.)

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Details

Location

Belfast, University of Atypical

Year

2021

Date

Length

02min 17sec

Audio

silent

Format

colour

Source

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive

Courtesy

Hands That Sign, Paula Clarke, Ross Thompson

Rights Holder

Northern Ireland Screen, Ross Thompson

It is illegal to download, copy, print or otherwise utilise in any other form this material, without written consent from the copyright holder.

Description

Reclaimed by Ross Thompson, written in Bangor during 2020 Lockdown.

In spite of the waves of uncertainty and fear,
I slept sounder and deeper than I had in years, 

and dreamt that the animal kingdom had reclaimed
our world, undoing the damage heedlessly waged

by a reckless populace. The beasts rebalanced 
the scales of our indifference: a second chance 

to treat this Earth with the gratitude it deserves.
While I slumbered, the creatures came in from the verge 

in great numbers, like disembarking from the Ark.
Skies swept spotless of smog warbled with meadowlark

and vireo. Cricket pitches and golf course slopes
ran amok with peacock, foxes and jackalopes.

Cobbled streets echoed with wild boar and mountain goats.
Pumas lay on park benches like discarded coats.

Wolves drank from fountains. Deer sashayed in the subway.
Blossoms pushed through concrete. Oceans, rivers and bays

grew unpolluted. On clear days I saw the moon. 
I stirred, drew the blinds and hoped that the dream was true.

Credits

Reclaimed by Ross Thompson
BSL translation and performance by Paula Clarke
Filmed in University of Atypical by Stuart Calvin
A Silent War Creative Producers: Sinéad Bhreathnach-Cashell & Ann Donnelly
Funded by the Department for Communities through Northern Ireland Screen

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