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  • Out of the Blue – 7
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Out of the Blue – 7

Simon Armitage

Go up go down. Sit tight for now. Or move. Don’t move. It’s all in
hand. Make a call on the phone. Stay calm. Then shout. Stay calm.
Then SHOUT. Come back. I think we should leave but not in the lift.
This staircase closed. This stairwell black. Keep cool. Keep your
head. For fuck’s sake man this telephone’s dead. Get low to the floor.
Who bolted this door? Try the key, try the code. Hit nine one one.
Come away from the glass. Keep back from the heat. Heat rises,
right? Go down. Go south. That exit locked. That lobby blocked.
That connecting corridor clogged with stone. The lights go out.
Come on. Go out. A fire alarm drones. Come away from the edge.
Hit nine one one. Come here and see, we made the news. Try CNN.
Try ABC. They say it’s a plane. So bung it with something to stop the
smoke. Or we choke. Use a skirt, use a shirt. Rescue services now on
their way. What with? With what – with a magic carpet? A thousand
foot rope? Stand back from the door. They’re saying it’s war. Don’t
break the glass – don’t fan the flames. Outside it’s air. Outside it’s
sheer. A wing and a prayer. Go up. Go north. Get out on the roof. No
way. Call home. It’s daddy, ask mummy to come to the phone. Get
mummy, tell mummy to come to the phone. Just DO AS YOU’RE
TOLD. This glass, like metal. If we step out there…if we stay in here.
This glass like metal. Just DO AS YOU’RE TOLD. Get mummy,
tell mummy to come to the phone. It’s daddy, ask mummy to come
to the phone. Call home. No way. Get out on the roof. Go north.
Go up. A wing and a prayer. Outside it’s sheer. Outside it’s air.
Don’t break the glass – don’t fan the flames. They’re saying it’s war.
Stand back from the door. With what – a magic carpet? What with?
A thousand foot rope. Rescue services now on their way. Use a
skirt, use a shirt. Or we choke. So bung it with something to stop the
smoke. They say it’s a plane. Try ABC. Try CNN. Come here and
see, we made the news. Hit nine one one. Come away from the
edge. A fire alarm drones. Go out. Come on. The lights go out. That
connecting corridor clogged with stone. That lobby blocked. That
exit locked. Go south. Go down. Heat rises, right? Keep back from
the heat. Come away from the glass. Hit nine one one. Try the key,
try the code. Who bolted this door? Get low to the floor. For fuck’s
sake man this telephone’s dead. Keep your head. Keep cool. This
stairwell black, This staircase closed, I think we should leave but
not in the lift. Come back. Then SHOUT. Stay calm. Then shout.
Stay calm. Make a call on the phone. It’s all in hand. Don’t move.
Or move. Sit tight for now. Go up go down. Sit tight for now. Go up.
Go down.


Simon Armitage

From Out of the Blue (Enitharmon Press, 2008)

Reproduced by kind permission of the publisher, Enitharmon Press

Tags:

danger emergencies instructions possibility telephones terrorism

About this poem

The poem-film Out of the Blue is a response to the fifth anniversary of 9.11.

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Simon Armitage

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