Thanks Tony.
The "musty chequered zone" is the flooring in Westminster Abbey which is a
chess board pattern famous from tv, but it looked not to have been cleaned
in a month. I'll send the poem, and thanks for the website.Philip
>From: Tony Hillier <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: new submission: The Unknown Soldier
>Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 07:59:01 -0000
>
>envelope of stone - I've not seen it I can picture something
>
>perimeter'd with weary poppy feet - simly "yes!"
>
>have to confess I've not yet looked up who is Copland Smith
>
>promoted pawn - yes
>
>footie in street - powerful 'cos not many "poets" mention that daily Beckam
>factor
>
>musty chequred zone - almost lost on me at moment - I can do things with it
>but any hints?
>
>spent as cartridges - fabulous
>
>the whole poem is dramatically understaed to me which gives it power, the
>everydayness of footie and the otherworldiess of that Mons Angel I have
>heard something about
>
>cheers
>
>tony
>
>ps you could send it to "stopwar.org.uk" which is the coalition against
>the
>war site building for I guess and hope a (dramatic) million in London this
>Saturday - see you all there
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Philip Burton" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Sunday, February 09, 2003 7:33 AM
>Subject: new submission: The Unknown Soldier
>
>
> The Unknown Soldier
>
> for Copland Smith
>
>
>Something dramatic ought to happen here
>at this fallen envelope of stone
>perimeter'd with weary poppy feet -
>The Angel of Mons perhaps appear.
>Or the man himself, promoted pawn
>of the sacrifice, dying to be the decent-
>minded youth who'd murder a beer
>and, shot of this musty chequered zone,
>enjoy an hour of footie in the street.
>
>And so we shuffle blankly out
>spent as cartridges. Big Ben bound
>we steel ourselves for one more bout
>of seeing London in the round -
>its peace campaign on the roundabout.
>
>
>
>
>
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