By Malcolm Henshall
At my age
I should not be ashamed or embarrassed
of what I like.
There should be no secrets,
guilty or otherwise.
But mine for the sake of this poem
is a love for the TV series
‘Nashville’.
People might not expect of me,
A soap based in that town
with addiction, alcoholism, bereavement,
love and loss…
…and country music.
What’s not to like?
The music so much better
than the viewer
could have hoped to expect.
One song in particular got to me
‘Sanctuary’,
pronounced Sank-too-arry
To rhyme with ‘weight you carry’.
The mawkishness of the music,
the lushness of the lyrics,
the story dripping with emotion.
A syrup of songs,
a tsunami of tragedy,
a glut of grief
Brought tears to my eyes…
…and still does.
It makes me think of those I love,
that care for me,
that are my sanctuary.
And I quote…
“Let me be your sanctuary
Let me be your safe place to fall
I can take away your worries
The refuge from it all
I will share the weight you carry
Let me be your sanctuary”
Malcolm Henshall 2023