Sunday, 3 August 2014

Poem ~ Lamps Going Out - Monday, 3 August 1914

Still Canterbury Cricket week commenced,
And English regattas went on as planned.
Elsewhere Berlin lifts in the 'spirit of 1914'
But Belgians celebrate their defiance.
A German councillor warns 'Belgians are fools...'
2 p.m. and an unanswered question of war lingers.
The Foreign Secretary states a statement of conditions.
Speeches dour give warnings of suffering to come,
As Westminster crowds gather in the escalation.
5 p.m. A gloomy Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey
Bangs his fists on the desk 'I hate war I hate war.'
6 p.m. and allegations of French foray across borders
Leads to German final declarations of war.
In London patriots call for King and sing Rule Britannia.
By slow darkness gaslights are lit in St James's Park.
Grey remarks, 'The lamps are going out all over Europe.'

by Jamie Mann

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 10 August 2014). 




#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered

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