DetailsThe poem, its numbers, and the conversation.

The Coventry Blitz

Member since 2002 · Posted 20 Mar 2006 · 3 comments

Coventry exhales monoxide Itâs grey umbilical of steel and concrete Strangles its Mother dwarf With children of the rising sun. Her three decrepit fingers Point towards God As the November sky Turns Luftwaffe gray. War sent its steel horses Riding over Coventry Our helpless voyeur Became unrobed Forced to watch The incendiary rape of Godiva. Coventry was ash Their was no Phoenix rising Just tenements for tudor And a cross made from the burning limbs Of St Michael.

Rate it

0 is the worst, 10 the best. Pick a number, add a comment if you like, then send it. Keys: 0–9 pick, Enter sends.

mean 6.50 weighted 5.18 rank 4904 views 298 View voting details →

4 votes so far. Yours would make 5.4 votes so far

3 comments

[8] Ranger 21-Mar-06/6:48 AM Reply

I thought I'd commented on this the other day...I must be losing it. The first stanza rocks; I see the factories/industrial side overtaking the more traditional aspect of the city, and also the smoke rising in spires - umbilical cords of smoke (and fire - rising sun).
'Decrepit' is perfect for the ruins, again it makes me think of (three) columns of smoke.
Not sure about stanza 3 - the passage about Godiva (your local legend) is really good, but it doesn't quite fit the gloom of war, at least not in my reading. It's a brilliant passage though.
Stanza 4 is great. Other than 'Their' (should be 'There'), no complaints.

[n/a] Caducus › Ranger 21-Mar-06/9:49 AM Reply

the grey umbilical is the ring road strangling the city, the post war noose we built, the mother dwarf is modern coventry born from old coventry - the ring road stops coventry growing and the children of the rising sun symbolizes the imports of cheap cars from japan (as in the sun on the flag) and the death of our motor industry famed for jags etc) this is how new born from old can be a tradgedy for a city but it ends as cov being the city of reconciliation and peace nad forgiveness.

[8] Ranger › Caducus 21-Mar-06/10:15 AM Reply

Ah. That makes sense.

Having not been to Coventry, I would never have got that - but on explanation it's pretty clear to see in the poem.