Bob Dylan was awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. Sixty years ago, his songs didn’t just include literary and philosophical references, they also addressed political and social issues which saw them become anthems for progressive movements of the time.

As with most other aspects of life, the conduct of political and social activism has changed over the years with these activities now depending greatly on social media.

With these thoughts in mind, I wrote a poem called The Way the River Flowed which appeared in Issue #61 of the online journal, Creatrix. You can read that Issue here.

The Way the River Flowed
(with reference to Bob Dylan)

Did Bob really mind which way the river flowed
Or did he just sit back on that bank of sand
As his words spread across the land
Well, anyway, folk listened and they cared
Which is why multitudes gathered
In the street to make images, chant and
Burn images until the story was told
And good things happened

Then, years later, when his debts had been repaid
An old man wrote about a river in need
Before long, a woman answered with a tweet
And her words turned into a trickle
That became a flood of twenty million tweets
As every single soul clicked Like, saying
All along the valley those waters shall be released
And good things happened

After which, people looked at their screens
And watched the river grow

The poem alludes to Dylan’s 1971 recording of Watching the River Flow. You might like to play that song in the background while reading the poem. If so, just click the YouTube link below.