Written piece
The Common Thread
Junior Thaelo
Botswana
About this piece
The Common Thread is a poem that explores how all human beings of the commonwealth countries are individual threads that make up the tapestry of the commonwealth. That each thread plays a crucial role the moment it is formed. It is showcases the importance of unity and oneness.
Deep in the cave of meadows
Where light ceases to exist
And the thunder of Zeus cannot reach
Dwells the three sisters of fate, ancient
The goddess who weave it all
Birth, life and motrals' fall
Clotho spins the spindle,
In a moment a million threads form
A king, servant, merchant and infant
Each with a fibre of the tapestry.
She is the mother of each thread
The bringer of life itself
Every soul that joins the commonwealth
Slides from her ancient wheel.
Lachesis, the goddess of life span
Marks the length of joy and sorrow
She holds each thread, tying purpose to it
Flooding each with a special hue
She allots to each their portion,
Love, betrayal, war and famine.
Each thread, the perfect length in her eye
Each thread, she twists to pleasure and demise.
Then Atropos makes the final act
Holding the title of Harold of Death
She waits, her shears, sharp, craving the threads
Patiently waiting to severe at the decided end.
When the thread reaches its final end,
The yarn fails to grow and be full
She joyfully cuts, snatching a part of the commonwealth,
Silencing the voice that calls for change.
Yet listen, the cave still echoes
A billion spindles turn and turn
With each cut, a new thread is spun
A voice is born from the death
So walk your path, take your portion
Twist with life, dance in slumber
The Fates are the impartial kind,
They have created us, the common thread.