The poet’s appearance at the vigil for the Manchester bombing victims helped us face up to the tragedy
Tony Walsh’s poem, “This Is The Place”, rapped out by him in fierce lines at Tuesday’s vigil in Manchester, did what public poetry should do – found words where there are no words. We say, “I don’t know what to say.” We say we’re lost for words. Words have lost us. The poem gives us back the words we need.
The bombing was a public event, as well as a heartbreaking series of private losses. At times like this we need to come together to express our collective despair and bewilderment: Manchester as a city; Manchester as proud northerners; Manchester facing the world, but facing the world in tears.
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