History In Poetry-
HISTORY IN POETRY
REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 5TH of NOVEMBER.
The world still remembers Mr Guy Fawkes,
who plotted to blow up the House of Lords.
Tortured, guilty of treason, the story is told
how he cheated The Hangman; he jumped off the scaffold.
A broken neck did not appease the Crown,
who hung and quartered all foes of renown.
In response, a decree that all people remember
the failed plot; a holiday, for the 5th of November!
Children hunt while mothers groan,
‘Why can’t we be left alone?
All we want is a place to rest,
But all we hear is, ‘Where’s Grandpa’s vest?
You want those old trousers I threw out,
and those old shoes, with their soles half out?
If I threw them out, then they’re no good,
So please be quiet you know you should.’
‘We won’t be noisy; we will be good.
We’re looking for two long bits of wood.’
‘Hey Mum, we found these sticks, in the bombed out houses.
Can we have Dad’s old coat; and those old trousers?’
Stuffed with paper, gosh, he’s fat!
The bonfire’s ready, but where’s Guy’s hat?
Oh there it is, stuck fast in that briar,
Now Guy Fawkes was ready for our street’s Bon-Fire.
We couldn’t bother Mum, and Dad was at his works,
but, we needed money to buy fireworks.
‘Penny for the Guy, Mister,’ we called outside the shop,
‘we must have some crackers when we put him up top.’
Bangers and Jumping Jacks, were thrown on the ground
to give a fright and a scare as all dodged around.
There were bottles with rockets that fly to the sky.
There were hands in pockets; warm and dry.
The flames rose high, we could see through the fire.
The Guy stood up on his funeral pyre.
He cannot jump off that pile of wood;
he’s tied tight to the chair that used to be good.
On the chair’s legs, we all scratched our names,
And remember the reason as it goes up in flames.
Guy Fawkes, on barrels of gun powder; a patsy
for the treasonable reasons of Robert Catesby.
Remember, remember the 5th of November
not for the gunpowder, the treason or the plot.
Betrayed, found guilty, Fawkes cheated being slaughtered.
By the government who wanted him drawn and quartered,
but Guy Fawkes? He died his way, whether they liked it or not.
Copyright © J Eliza James | Year Posted 2012
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