Bonfire Night

(Picture Credit - Sky News)

Back in the day,

When I was a little whipper snapper in Leeds,

We would go “chumping”, as we called it, for firewood,

For weeks and weeks.

Everyone built towering infernos,

Ready for November Fifth:

Bonfire Night.

Some made effigies of the “evil” Guy Fawkes,

Leader of the “Gunpowder Plot”

And stood in the street saying

“Penny for the Guy”.

What a night!

Roaring fire on a chill Winter night,

Those flames burning your face.

A World War Three

Of Fireworks:

Rockets, Catherine Wheels and bangers.

Bangers to scare the girls.

Kids painting pictures in the air

With sparklers.

And best of all,

That yummy gingery Parkin cake:

A taste I cannot put

Into words.

Oh and deep dark

Treacle Toffee,

Jacket potatoes

And Crunchie-like cinder toffee.

It’s many a year since I went to a bonfire.

Politically correct firework displays

Are more the modern thing.

Seems strange to burn the effigy

Of a man who had the sense

To try to blow parliament up –

Especially a Yorkshire Man.

Ha ha.

But then I read that good

Religious reasons are behind

This bonfire Celebration:

Those flames are orange

After all.

Not wishing to create divisions

Anywhere in the world,

It’s still good to see traditions

Being maintained.

Let those fires and fireworks keep rising,

Constantly emerging from the shadows

Of Halloween.

Paul Butters

© PB 27\10\2018. Written at the request of Stephen Chapman. “Treacle toffee” added later, with “jacket potatoes” and “cinder toffee” added on 31\10\18. "Roast chestnuts" added 18\11 and this poem copied to the "Planet Paul" blog.