In her poem, actor and poet Anna McKelvie cleverly employs the metaphor of a boat at sea to express the difficulties, uncertainty and camaraderie experienced during the pandemic. Here, friendship triumphs over troubled waters.
Please note ‘Anchor Ourselves’ was intended to be experienced as an audio piece; however, a transcript is provided below for anyone who is unable to access it:
Anchor Ourselves
Coronavirus rained into our lives
and began to swim the streets
The Captain advised to stay inside
to hide means to defeat
nestle inside a vessel to ride
and do not dip your feet
we wrestle our cries but abide inside
from the sea’s mercurial heat
I was blessed to already have a crew
aboard a shared London ship
nobody knew quite what to do
but together we equipped
we stocked several shelves with tins of soup
and the six of us had planned
to protect our group, stay in the loop
with current events on land
Thus, began our voyage at sea
spectating and debating our course
but we did not foresee the waves’ uncertainty
or their almighty fanatical force
seismic saltwater stopped trade
and us performers, we were concerned
Will there be financial aid if I’m not paid?
our stomachs, like the sea, churned
we took turns using the boarding net
and stated promises of patience
negated rules set to avoid getting wet
unwilling to be ocean patients
but my shipmates and I were jobless
we had lost all wind for our sails
now no solemn purpose, squad sodden in stress
only solace was biting my nails
So, ahoy there my young sea hearties!
All Hand Hoy! Tonight!
Down in the pantry we’ll sing a sea chanty
and cook ourselves a feast of delights!
Let us anchor ourselves for this evening
and settle our stomachs with food
you best be believing today we’re done grieving
once culinary culture is chewed
slow responses from navy and captain
providing limited armour late
dodgy deals wrapped in, our keel we’re trapped in
meek men monopolising our fate
the force of the flood was misguided
by disregarding frontline voices
a doubtful nation divided by dubious information provided
Death, a byproduct of poor choices
to my grounded crew I am faithful
but Tooting Common is where I steal rest
one moment I’m grateful, the next I am hateful
each day I fear what is next
for this ships’ structure is withered and wet
our walls waned by warrior waves
how will we forget all this upset
ponderous days grown paranoia haze
So, ahoy there my young sea hearties!
All Hand Hoy! Tonight!
Down in the pantry we’ll sing a sea chanty
and cook ourselves a feast of delights!
Let us anchor ourselves for this evening
and settle our stomachs with food
you best be believing today we’re done grieving
once culinary culture is chewed
Heave Ho Hands! and use yours
to peel the skin off those spuds
put down your ores, ignore all rig sores
sail in the club chopping up
if you’re tired from the flogging of life
rest your back in fluffy mash
if personal strife has become rife
slurp rum to help you relax
your form at dinner does not matter
for the tide’s pillage left us bare
hop up Jacob’s ladder, together we can stagger
to the comfort of a table and chair
nourishment holds the hull steady
to rekindle rotten passageways
grub sinks our feet heavy and with this kellick feel ready
to tackle each passing day
So, ahoy there my young sea hearties!
All Hand Hoy! Tonight!
Down in the pantry we’ll sing a sea chanty
and cook ourselves a feast of delights!
Let us anchor ourselves for this evening
and settle our stomachs with food
you best be believing today we’re done grieving
once culinary culture is chewed
this has become our recent tradition
to communally dine and consume
getting a dish in is the day’s only mission
a mutiny against being marooned
to find stable shore is our booty
still stuck with sea legs on this boat
but eating my tea with five old salt mateys
is all I will need to float.
About Anna McKelvie
Anna McKelvie is an actor and poet based in South London. After training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts & Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, she co-founded Ginger & Blonde Theatre, of which she is Artistic Director, a company that explores themes of equality and feminism. Their debut production “Is That All There Is?” had a sold out run at The Bread & Roses Theatre in 2019. Her poetry has been published by SLAMinutes in their anthology of 100 writers discussing mental health through the pandemic, with all proceeds donated to Mind charity. Since the theatres have closed, Anna has been focusing more fully on writing poetry, exploring mental wellbeing and identity during lockdown. She looks forward to integrating the two disciplines across various mediums, especially when live events are back on in the future. Follow her on Twitter @anna_mckelvie and Instagram @annamckelvie
This poem was commissioned for Disembodied Voices: Friendship during COVID-19
How we think of friendship, intimacy and closeness has radically altered during this period, perhaps irrevocably. Lockdown and quarantine has left us relishing time with friends and family, or dealing with feelings of isolation, anxiety and abandonment. WhatsApp, Zoom and social media are our new lifelines, changing the tone, register and channels through which we communicate. We’ve reached out to old friends and been turned away by new ones; rekindled old bonds and discarded others. There are friends who inspire and those who infuriate; there are relations we’ve failed and some who’ve come through for us, and shown love in a way we’ve never experienced before.
We wanted to curate a series of essays, interviews and stories on friendship, experienced during the time of COVID-19. We were keen to hear from marginalised perspectives, underrepresented voices and communities significantly impacted by the virus.
We were also open to submissions and pitches on the representation and concept of friendship more generally. How friendship is represented on television, film, and social media; in books, music and videos, before and during the pandemic, is also important and features in some of the work in Disembodied Voices.
For the full series, click here here.
Submissions are now closed for this series.
Aysha Abdulrazak and Samaya Kassim,
Guest Editors of Disembodied Voices.
Disembodied Voices Emblem by Banan Alkhazraj, who is co-creator of @bananabreadnco (BananaBread&Co) with Aysha Abdulrazak.
Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels
