The Long Mynd Shropshire UK

The laburnums  will flower  
lilacs too in purple spendour  
as when miners weary of the wind  
the rain and snow and five mile  
walk to Minsterley,  
to catch a train to Salop,  
gave space to flowers sacrificing  
the hostile soil where cabbages  
and rhubarb should have grown  
to feed too many hungry children  
born of long dark nights in feather beds,  
listening to storms on the rippling roof  
early mornings in the snow, school  
but not before the cow was milked  
and egg searches in the hedges.  
Porridge thick bread smeared  
with dripping, month old vest and knitted socks.  
all that made our country great! We ruled the waves.  
oh yes ,we ruled the waves! the lead and silver  
made sure of that and coal in Staffordshire,  
iron ore, Cornish tin and china clay;  
When the lead was gone no thanks,  
the master on the hill turned his back  
no goodbyes to those who sailed to Argentine.  
 
 The children in the school, . . . . . .. . . .  
where have they gone? some stayed behind  
to till the toxic soil, pick lilac flowers  
sweeter than lead and silver, long since gone  
lost in swirling myth and dying dreams.  
Red kites calling to the empty fields  
lilac flowers, laburnum ,yellow gorse,  
ancient scars healing with the heather..