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St Mary's tower
TWO centuries and more I stood
Upon my hill and watched that Keep
Crumbling on the Castle’s rock;
It slacked its earthly vigilance
As time rewrote the rules of mine -
While banners rose and fell, and war
Crisscrossed the vale; while window - glass
Was shattered in its tiers below:
Its stories told by plain black print
Not coloured figures - teased out now
By my black-gowned Lecturer.
BUT then the Lion and Unicorn
Came fighting for a new-cast crown
And on my northern side I gazed
No more across long gardens to
The seaward windings of the Trent
But over shop and factory
Through veils of smoke, ‘that dismal town’
Forsaken by its famous son.
And now all changes once again -
High-fliers in luxurious lofts
All round me, look out for themselves.
WHAT warning can I shout to them?
WHAT invitation?
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Last revised 9th July 2005