guyfawkesnight

Fog shroud
and clouds
(when the clock
chimed late
in the heavy
November night-
time) lifting
the mystery
for a greater
drifted
off a whole
white full
moon pitched
above the white
thin chimney-
stalk of the
new Dawsholm
incinerator…

—Edwin Morgan, “Guy Fawkes Moon”
published in COLLECTED POEMS (Carcanet, 1990)

https://www.carcanet.co.uk/9781857541885/collected-poems/

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #EdwinMorgan #5thNovember #BonfireNight #GuyFawkes #GuyFawkesNight #RememberRemember

Guy Fawkes Moon
Edwin Morgan

Fog shroud
and clouds
(when the clock
chimed late
in the heavy
November night-
time) lifting
the mystery
for a greater
drifted
off a whole
white full
moon pitched
above the white
thin chimney-
stalk of the
new Dawsholm
incinerator –
as if the piled
rags Glasgow
rubbish rusted
bedsprings bent
hair-rollers blood-
caked saddles of
crumpled Hondas
and sorry lunch-
box plastic
nests of cracks
and crumbs had
all become
a moon of smoke
and the real moon
a César moon
in a car-crusher
was now the Odeon
bulking greyly
with its sleeping stars
in reels by
the firework field.

And sparklers raced
between moons
and squeals –
and red rockets
mufflers matches
and up in smoke
far from school.

ALT

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The mighty Mavors, jealous to behold
A Mars more mighty nor himself below,
Did once resolve his rivall to ore’throw…

—Sir Robert Ayton (1569–1638), “Upon the 5th of November”
published in JACOBEAN PARNASSUS: Scottish Poetry from the Reign of James I (ASL, 2022)

https://asls.org.uk/publications/books/volumes/jacobean-parnassus/

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Jacobean #17thcentury #JamesI #BonfireNight #5November #GuyFawkes #GuyFawkesNight

Robert Ayton
Upon the 5th of November

The mighty Mavors, jealous to behold
A Mars more mighty nor himself below,
Did once resolve his rivall to ore’throw
By assassins, whome open force made bold.
But finding there that open force did fold
Under the princely valour of his foe,
Hee then determin’d to assayle him soe
As noe defence should his offence withhold.
Thus comes he downe to Plutoes pale abode,
And there for fyre and brimstone straight doth call,
Wherewith he thinks to play the thundering god,
And make the world admire his ryvall’s fall.
But sease, fond Mars, to make the world to wonder;
Ten thousand lawrells save’s our Mars from thunder.

ALT

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