Remembrancer

(remember, remember)
It was the dog-end of Autumn,
leaves in all their glorious colour lined the streets
and we left with murder in mind.
Past the reeking sewers -
that old stench called London town.
Even the smell of winter's nearness
could not disguise midden-stink.

We were frightened - apprehensive,
knowing what would happen were we caught
(and we did know, and we learned again)
but filled with Godly fire and hope.
We knew we were right,
knew the heavens smiled on our plot
knew God wanted the death of the King.

(remember, remember)

How bright the smells of a dying day!

London, God's plague on humanity!
Diseased parasite feeding on blood and pain
Who could awake you?
set you as a jewelled diadem - as they say you are?

We were ratcatchers, bold and true
in honoured service of our foreign Master -
assigned a place in heaven for our deeds,
deeds lesser men name atrocity.
What is one more dead man among the slaughtered?

(remember, remember)

We had the right, we had the might,
to blow Parliament to Kingdom come!
And kill that vain excuse for a monarch -
what matter if others die?
Let God choose His own from the glorious dead.

We had no doubt, we were blessed
blessed without thought for innocense
'for the greater good'
that dog-end of Autumn,
when the fires burn the old leaves...

that dog-end of Autumn we too would burn.
Not in the pyres of vengeance,
not in the flames of a holy war,
but in a judicial execution
for trying to kill a King.

But we live on - or rather I do -
no one has yet forgotten me.
Traitor, conspirator, would-be terrorist -
I am such an anomaly!

So still I go forth in the dead days of Autumn,
still I wait for the plot to begin
and still the fire rises higher around me
while other conspirators lie quiet in death.
Still am I...

Remember, remember, the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot,
I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

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