Listening to Churchill (a poem)
It's the late 1930s and an old man paces
The corridors of Parliament, as his country races
To self destruction with the practiced eye
Of those who deny and deny and deny.
He waits and listens, shakes his head in defeat
As he hears his Prime Minister blather and bleat
About 'peace in our time' and 'Mr. Hitler's' intention.
No one's listening to Winston, so why bother to mention
That his Land's unprepared to revisit the Hun.
After all victory there has already been won.
But a new breed is leading a new regime,
And those who realize it want to scream
To their fellow citizens 'We can no longer wait.
We must make ready before it's too late'!
Then Churchill takes charge, and the magnificent Few
Rouse the people of England, their courage renew.
But one thing is different today from then.
They had the USA to fall back on when
The forces of darkness would have swallowed all.
Who is there now to answer our call?
Time's not on the side of the weak who just sigh
And forever deny and deny and deny.
Mimi Winship 2 08 06