Saturday, 2 August 2014

Poem ~ One Day to War - Sunday, 2 August 1914

So the overture begins.
Confusion still drifts as slow dawn rises.
Each slow second paced out with rumour -
Will Britain? Might Britain make honour of their alliance?
7.42 a.m. sees neutrality of a sovereign nation crumble.
8.30 a.m. sees Germany's 'secure' of Luxembourg's station.
11 am in Downing Street, a cabinet meet in heated debate.
4 p.m. sees Trafalgar square witness to anti war cries.
5 p.m. arise calls for peace by workers of the world.
7 p.m. sees a German 12 hour ultimatum
Demanding Belgium repel any French attack.
So follows long night hours as Prime Minister and King agree
Belgium should not, cannot fall to such demands.

by Jamie Mann

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




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