Harrowdown Hill
I shall probably be found, I said,
and I flashed a smile as I spoke, dead
in the woods, and he smiled back,
with that minute shake of the head,
momentary blink of eyes that lack
comprehension, and do not match
the smile, nor for the moment catch,
quite, the dissonance of mood and voice
where I, briefly revealed in speech, rejoice
to hear myself announce the fate
I’d only secretly dared contemplate:
such a blood sacrifice I thought were just
as I watched resentful men dissemble
before the cool courtesy of my call for trust;
I did not know how soon I would resemble
in the stress of my demeanour those betrayed
by the grave, insistent promises I made.
Public dishonour I could stand and face
were not this moral pride my real disgrace:
the woods, God’s glory, and myself, dismayed
into atonement with this blameless blade
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2 comments:
What is the origin of the poem? I am familiar with the case of Dr Kelly, partly from Norman Baker's book.
Best wishes
David
Origin as in when did I write it? It was probably during the Hutton Inquiry, and I had heard about a diplomat's report that Kelly had said he would probablt be found dead in the woods. It also became apparent that he was a B'hai.
One of my friends in the Coroner business rejects the conspiracy theories very vigorously. I tried to introduce a small element of ambiguity
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