Bobby Sands, MP, Poet (?)

Cafe Society
1

Let me stipulate right off that Bobby Sands was a [republican patriot hero/terrorist and good riddance] as the case may be according to your political views on the issue.

That’s not my question.

In reading various discussions regarding the Hunger Strikes and Bobby, you’ll see references to him as a poet or (admittedly, mostly in SF-leaning circles) a “gifted poet” or “great writer.”). There’s talk of how he was inspired by Irish history and legend, which influenced his poetic masterpieces.

I looked up some of the poetry recently.

Um . . . yeah.

Now, he was only 27, and preoccupied with politics and his struggle, and not that extensively educated (at least formally).

Am I wrong in thinking that, laudable though his sentiments may or may not have been, the nationalist/Republican crowd ought not to place too much emphasis on Bobby as writer or poetic genius? Or is there a crude talent there that I’m missing?

If anything, I thought the rather simplistic rhymes and inelegant prose masked, rather than expressing, what must have been a strong and distinctive personality.

2

I’m guessing that you’ve read only a limited amount of his poetry. “Simplistic” would be a fair description of some of it, but there’s a lot more variety to it than your OP suggests. The H-Block stuff probably got the most attention (for obvious reasons) but, apart from the H-Block Trilogy, it’s generally the least interesting of his works IMHO.

3

Correct.

Is the other stuff (suggestions?) more in keeping with the notion of him as a talented writer and poet?

4

Yes, it is. Pick up Writings From Prison - it compiles his prison diary, poems and essays. I generally prefer the essays to the poetry, personally, but I’d say that about most writers.

Or just get One Day In My Life, which is exactly what it says on the tin.

On these pages are two of my favourite poems of his (the first one was turned by Christy Moore into the song “Back Home In Derry”).

And keep in mind that he wrote all this stuff on scraps of bog roll, with a pen refill that he kept hidden in his arse, and had his visitors smuggle it out. I think you’d have to give him credit for the sheer volume of work on that basis alone.

“Our revenge will be the laughter of our children”