I am tired of England, Of Winston and sixty-six, Less a nation than a default setting, No thing stands for it. Welund made a spinning top, gifted it a godling, Older than the fall of Rome, the ambitious youngling, Wound in all the kingdoms with a cord around the core. Nineteen twenty-one, point placed, Nineteen forty-seven, twine tugged, Nineteen fifty-six, spinning, Nineteen ninety-nine, spinning. In a small souvenir shop standing in York, Flat caps and roses, Keyrings and sweets, Where a Brigante sat watching her fire, Wake-addled and weary, Her child would not sleep, Shopkeeper stops, Sentence unsaid, Hearing. Elmet, Bryneich, Dere. Headshake and smile, She slips back to work, Blue paper bag for a postcard and pin. In gritstone towns, And North Sea bays, We turn off the telly, With tired disgust. To live, A land must have three things: A shape, People, And a dream. I am tired of England, No longer dreaming.
Br. F- As a yank I don't understand all the references, but I am all in with you in spirit.
I hope you are well. -Jack
p.s. Have I yet mentioned my brother works--for the machine, alas--up your way? It's quite a long shot, but maybe there is a pint and some actual conversation. If I could ever get over and up that way. In the meantime, the virtual world will have to do.
- 1921 was the Anglo-Irish treaty, 1947 Indian independence, 1956 Suez crisis and Sudanese independence, 1999 Scottish and Welsh devolved parliaments sit.
- The Brigante inhabited the area around York before and during Roman times.
- Elmet, Bryneich, and Dere were post-Roman kingdoms in Yorkshire (although most of Bryneich was further north). Elmet was Briton, the others Anglo-Saxon.
Sometimes I think that being an expat (British in France) gives me the best of this country, without its sadness. Still, it feels like home now and that’s enough, even if I’m only bobbling along on the surfaces of the culture.
Tis a sentiment echoed round the world I’m afraid.
Br. F- As a yank I don't understand all the references, but I am all in with you in spirit.
I hope you are well. -Jack
p.s. Have I yet mentioned my brother works--for the machine, alas--up your way? It's quite a long shot, but maybe there is a pint and some actual conversation. If I could ever get over and up that way. In the meantime, the virtual world will have to do.
It turned out more allusive than I expected.
Some of the references:
- Sixty-six could be either the 1066 Norman invasion or the 1966 football world cup.
- Weland is old English for Wayland the Smith: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayland_the_Smith
- 1921 was the Anglo-Irish treaty, 1947 Indian independence, 1956 Suez crisis and Sudanese independence, 1999 Scottish and Welsh devolved parliaments sit.
- The Brigante inhabited the area around York before and during Roman times.
- Elmet, Bryneich, and Dere were post-Roman kingdoms in Yorkshire (although most of Bryneich was further north). Elmet was Briton, the others Anglo-Saxon.
Do say if you're ever in Yorkshire!
Sometimes I think that being an expat (British in France) gives me the best of this country, without its sadness. Still, it feels like home now and that’s enough, even if I’m only bobbling along on the surfaces of the culture.
I think its difficult to do more than bob if its not the country you were raised in, maybe even if it is the place you were raised, really.
Excellente
This is stunning.