New Poetry by Peter Roads

SAVIOUR I 

 

When he grows up he's gonna be a big man 

Big like important 

President of wide open space 

Fill every room he is in 

A waist too expansive for pants 

Words too amazing for grace 

Features too big for a face 

Ego to wide for scale 

Measurement is for other people  

he will be a gateway to the future 

Through which many will travel 

Just to see him will be inspiring 

People will hang him on their wall 

Like they hung him from that tree 

Bound hand and feet 

They will love him  

just you wait and see 

He will be so big 

                                    so tall 

                                    so awesome 

                                    so heavy  

that all this guilt will fall  

we will be set free  

when he grows up he will be a big man 

Better kill him young  

so we won't feel so  

                                      small

- © Peter Roads 2021

Since starting his performance career in a Sydney backyard Peter has performed for the Unlikely Project, Unspoken Words, Newtown Festival Mainstage and Shelter NSW. Since winning 'most promising poet' at the 2015 Nimbin Performance Poetry World Cup he's published a series of independent chapbooks exploring issues of anxiety, politics, identity and religion. His last short film 'Flashback to the Pool' won laurels in 2020 and the next project 'Summon the Unbelievers' is a broadside against the hubris of blind faith.