Remember, remember ...
We are the child-dervishes of the Chilterns, We whirl, We roll in chalk, We strike sparks from flint, 2 The fire is a roaring red giant. Beacons echo him everywhere We look. The world's alight With fallen stars On Bledlow Ridge and Brill Rise And in the Vale of Aylesbury, 3
Rockets launched from test tubes—
The thrust, the fizz, The dark is smashed by smithereens of light; We stump about, A crowd of pale faces starred by blood, We ape the Guy we made, We stalk about still-jointed, heads tilted, Still posturing while he blazes, That sudden lurch and fall Hollows our skulls.
Since last year we never dreamed
All this was because of him, And all must come to this, 5 Beyond the fire circle,
Unquiet shadows. Beyond the shadows,
The all-too-quiet dark wood, Wolves and wolverines escaped from Whipsnade, 6 November 6th, Litter of cartridges, investigated, spent; Grey leavings, A scarf of smoke,
We poke small potatoes under ash, Kevin Crossley-Holland
Previous page
