TO REACH THE PROMISED LAND

TO WAKE UP IN THE PROMISED LAND is a series of tablet poems sharing a personal story of Luton Town’s fairytale promotion to the Premier League in 2023.

The tablet poem format is inspired by Franck Andre Jamme’s poetry book New Exercises. In his introduction Jamme writes:

‘ Tablets like these used to be found on small gold leaves in ancient roman graves. These leaves were typically folded inside the closed hands or mouths of the dead. They could be read as maxims, wishes, recommendations, or favourite sentences probable meant to seal the crossing over to the other side, that totally unknown country wise existence itself is uncertain - The country of ‘ the most numerous’ as the romans called it.’

The book explores two themes that will be forever intertwined for me - Luton Town’s seemingly improbably promotion to the promised land of the Premier League in the 2022/23 football season - and my dad’s terminal illness.

The beginnings of my dad's illness coincided with the start of A new season, and he died just as Luton’s push towards promotion was building towards a climax. Dad had followed Luton all his life and so everything became, for me, one.

These are my tablets that I place for you dad, gentle into your hand.

Published by Lorca Lu Ha (2023).

Copyright David Cain (2023).