Families fight on the streets of Verona

Capulets and Montagues locked in rivalry

Engage in a war of words

That leads to a clash of swords

Struggling for the upper hand of honour

With the upper cut of knife crime.

 

Brixton’s boys fight for turf

And the retaliation of conflict

Finding protection in each other

Vendettas aimed at extermination

With a sabre rattle expecting submission

In the battle for domination.

 

Civilisations fight in Jerusalem alleyways

Jacob and Esau descended to a war of attrition

David’s star cradled by a crescent moon

Each determined to have its way

On Friday and Saturday

In fundamentalist control.

 

Family flags fly at half-mast

Mourning the loss of sons and daughters

In the unrequited love of balcony affection

As young lives come to a full stop

In self-harming learned from a brother

Yet aimed at destruction of another.

 

August 2009

 

These lines were written following a production of Romeo and Juliet at Brockham School, where the head teacher, Mr Erik Starkie had pointed out the relevance of Shakespeare’s play to the gang warfare and street crime of today. But its relevance may apply also to conflict in the Middle East.

Photograph: Juliet's Balcony, Verona: