Thursday, 12 May 2016

Poem ~ Prisoners Of The Easter Rising - Friday, 12 May 1916


Source: File: A sketch of inside the GPO during the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin Ireland. (National Museum of Ireland) [online] See an original image at: <http://hubpages.com/education/1916-Easter-Rising-Sean-McDermott-executed-Kilmainham-Jail-Arbour-Hill-Stoneybatter-Dublin-Irish-history-Ireland> [Accessed: 12 May 2016]

Within the Irish Easter Monday rising, 
Came a tale of a Royal Fusiliers officer -
The Lieutenant was captured by rebels,
And held prisoner in the General Post
Office - After being searched for arms
His hands were bound by telephone wire.

Over the following days the Lieutenant
Observed how the insurgents consisted
Of various trade experts; electricians
Engineers and an explosive expert from
Germany - an elaborate method was set
To ensure the prisoners did not move.

Kept down into the cellar the prisoners
Were blocked in by boxes, amid stores
Of dynamite, cordite, gelignite including
Guncotton - a light was left on to reveal
One box of gelignite, set up with fuses -
Bombs were placed about the cellar.

Within this setting the rebels situated
Their prisoners - left to debate their
Fate, as rats in a trap - all together
They kept calling out, until a rebel
Appeared to say 'its alright boys' -
By then the GPO was well on fire.

Taking them to a yard at this buildings
Rear down into a corridor, emerging
In a room where they faced a woman,
Dressed like a man - she stood, waving  
A revolver at them - along with threats
She spat at English lieutenant's face.

After a short time the prisoners were
Led outside - they were to be used
As a protective screen in order for
Rebels to escape - pushed to front
Of prisoners stood the Lieutenant,
With a private of the Dublin Fusiliers.

Ahead of them, at some 150 yards,
Were watching English troops who
Manned a machine gun - a rebel
Held a gun to his head; in promise
To fire, unless he ran - taking to his
Feet the officer was shot at ten yards.

The English Lieutenant fell forwards
In the street, wounded in the thigh.
The officer looked about to see
Behind him, how the rebel unload
A gun into the Dublin Fusiliers head.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Officers Escape - Help From A Rebel. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 May 1916. P.11. Col.2. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12209758/Daily-Telegraph-May-8-1916.html>  [Accessed: 12 May 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 12 May 2016). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Ireland

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