I love prehistoric archaeology; we study the remote human past, among other things, through artefacts, remains, fossils, ruins, material culture, type-sites, assemblages, and burials. But, like humanity, it has its limitations.


Consider the signs

On the skin of your home
I glimpsed the touching tattoos
Of your absent daughters:
Inspiring inscriptions,
Concrete like the walls,
Definite in their love for you,
Anxious for your safety.

I found the discovery uplifting,
As an archaeologist might feel
On stumbling across hitherto
Unknown cave paintings.

The interpretation, I hope, is correct.

What archaeology misses is the tears.


Chris Fernie, 2006



Poetry by Chris Fernie
Read 527 times
Written on 2006-10-27 at 22:28

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Kathy Lockhart
yes, the emotions, the real humanity, is never shown through all the artifacts. But, through our own experiences we can somehow feel their tears, laughter, and life. This is a unique and very interesting subject written with your talented expressions.
2006-10-28