Danse macabre
In pouring rain
Poppies with pins
Remember remember
Eleventh November
Jaunty upon the lapel
A clash a splash of red
Among the sequins
See the dancers twirl
Sunday’s sombre-suited
March to muffled drums
Silent seconds, stop
A pause in the danse macabre
Then as you were, resume
Whatever comes to hand
Grenade or rifle, bomb or sword
Or failing all, bare fists
Bear arms
Prepare to lose your limbs your eyes
Your life
Dulce et decorum est
The bloody awful lie
Pro patria, appallingly
To die
In pouring rain
Poppies with pins
Remember remember
Eleventh November
Jaunty upon the lapel
A clash a splash of red
Among the sequins
See the dancers twirl
Sunday’s sombre-suited
March to muffled drums
Silent seconds, stop
A pause in the danse macabre
Then as you were, resume
Whatever comes to hand
Grenade or rifle, bomb or sword
Or failing all, bare fists
Bear arms
Prepare to lose your limbs your eyes
Your life
Dulce et decorum est
The bloody awful lie
Pro patria, appallingly
To die
12th November 2010, The Drive, Brighton
Hear hear, Sally! And in the case of Afghanistan and iraq, the very worst irony is that I really don't believe any of it is in truth "pro patria" - just some deluded demagogue's idea of "I thought it was the right thing to do".
ReplyDeleteI can see The Drive is quality time Sally, this is so good. It captures some of my reflection in the silence mid stream in a meeting yesterday, we were even notified the beginning and end by a fire alarm. It all sits in my brain's 'can't make sense of it file' alongside the unimaginable loss for family and friends in my heart. Dulce et decoraum est pro patria mori.....so much the sentiment said by relatives clearly devastated, often seen on my local news, or is that just for the camera?
ReplyDelete