Relics

Luciana Francis

In our hearts there are relics
that tell us of places 

proudly carved in humble glory
with a view of the sea 

or a citadel whence a ship sails, 
carrying in its hold 

the hunger and hopes of many. 
Upon arrival they scatter 

like seedlings, mapping 
a constellation of dreamers —

deliverance comes
after countless departures

The Science

The poem is an attempt at illustrating the recent and timely shift in archaeology towards a more people-centred approach to the study and understanding of relics, the attribution of meaning beyond mere chronology and classification, and their role in (inter)connecting a group of people to a particular time and a place.

The Poet

Luciana Francis is a Brazilian-born, UK-based writer of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. She holds a BA (Hons) in Anthropology and Media from Goldsmiths, University of London. Her writing explores the intersection between identity, sense of place, memory, estrangement, and motherhood. and appears in two anthologies as well as in various publications in Brazil, the UK, and in the US, and is forthcoming in Confingo Magazine and in Burningword Literary Journal. She has recently been nominated for The Pushcart Prize and for Best Small Fictions.

Next poem: Space Archaeology by Chloe Trotter