Bonfire Night! Poem by Denis Martindale

Behold the sparklers at arm's length,
A wondrous sight to see,
As I hold one with all my strength
Just like my family!
When life felt good and life felt grand,
And smiles of wonder grew,
So close the tiny lights at hand,
So close and in full view.
The twilight scene soon darkened still,
And Dad made us feel safe,
Despite the soon approaching chill,
Determined to stay brave.
Our fireworks screamed, ascending high,
With sounds that stirred my brain,
As rockets flew to meet the sky!
Again, again, again!
Oh, my, they were spectacular!
So were our neighbours', too,
And every rocket proved a star,
In red, and white, and blue!
And Catherine Wheels were whizzing round,
Like spiral galaxies,
As they lit up the lower ground,
Until their time to cease.
We knew some fireworks had remained,
Within our house that night,
And once outside, what joy we gained,
Two hours of delight.
And only then did we depart
To watch stuff on TV,
Yet I'll remember, in my heart,
That night, eternally!


Denis Martindale. For the 5th of November 2025.