The Inkwell#Fowc #Bend
They played with the roman road
so the horses and carts
didn’t bump into the temples
shrines and colosseum
The long straight road
now looked a lot like
Cleopatra’s serpent
as it bent and turned and coiled
But with progress, came problems
for as the engine replaced horse
the nobles noticed in their new chariots
they couldn’t see what was round the bend
Ancient
by B.F. Kirkham
Salford, 20th October 2016
Among the Modern tower blocks
and chic café quarters
the old bricks tell tales
of the city history
Listen very carefully,
and beyond the sounds
of modern cars
different wheels are turning
Steam whistles pipe
as the engine wheels turn
and locos roll on
like it was yesterday
Aircraft await
their signal to move
ready to go
with a simple jump
Whilst across the road
Legions Amass by Roman Bricks
Preparing to March
Down Liverpool Road
And Young Glass buildings
Smile in the night
Breaking the silence with juvenile quips
“Hey Grandad….You’re Ancient!”
During the sackings of Rome and Greece
The builders fled the construction site
Leaving the temple and markets to birds
As angry protesters had their words
The wreckage that built up was left in the sand
till one day a man from museum had plans
to recover the buildings located by sea
and learn of the heritage of the site for free
Manchester, 26th July 2016
In honour of the Roman Wall at Manchester’s Castlefield I wrote this brief little ditty.
Pulled it out of the leaves of Notebook 1 so I can share it with you all
(Artwork created by me – using Corel Painter)
Ave! My friend.
and welcome!, sit down.
rest, as you enter this garrison town.
…
You have reached Mamucium
or “Castle-in-the-field”
it’s a place, where we Romans
don’t often yield.
We fight with the Pilum
and fight with the sword
defending our lands
from the blue pictish hordes
We have a great legion
five hundred men strong
to service the need of
the wall, that’s quite long
And we’ll go off to Deva
to have fun for the night
arriving to watch
the gladiators fight.
A tale of the city I live in…enjoy
It started as an outpost
a place so far from Rome
people soon put down roots
and began to call it home
Waters ran from rivers to well
and before the flush toilet – O what a smell!
Horse and Cart instead of the car
brought goods round from near and far
Inventors improved things – bringing light to the night
burning a gas that burned bright white
Theories exchanged – via great schools of thought
as on the dockside , commodities were bought
But as things changed – so did life
Entertainment phased out trouble and strife
Theatres and Football if you were in to sport
as visitors came visiting this brand new port
Museum’s taught the tales of the place
and seeing the objects – they thought they were ace
learning about engines, tractors and trains
that went over rails crossing valleys and plains
But still city grows as the minute hand moves
as new companies settle and start a new groove
As water still passes down canal it does go
passengers visit on boats as it flows.
