Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Changing of the seasons

It's suddenly quite a bit colder here in London. The leaves are well and truly falling, and with British Summer Time having ended over the weekend it feels much darker, much earlier. Winter is definitely on its way. As is Guy Fawkes Night.

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,'twas his intent
to blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow:
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys,
God save the King! Hip hip hoorah!

A penny loaf to feed the Pope.
A farthing o' cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down.
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head.
Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.
Hip hip hoorah! Hip hip hoorah!

Not surprisingly, the final verse in this rhyme is usually left out. I'm not crazy about all of the Pope's beliefs, but I can't say I feel the need to burn him in a tub of tar.

3 Comments:

Blogger earthkissed said...

I just got in trouble for saying to Matthew that you were quoting a poem from the movie V for Vendetta.... Apparently it's in V for Vendetta but not from it... The pope bit does seem a bit mean.

11:25 am  
Blogger Piratical said...

British Summertime ending did seem to flick a big switch over to freezing temperatures this year.

It's not meant to.

3:11 pm  
Blogger Margie said...

In the southern parts of Australia where winter actually does noticably affect the light, people talk about when it starts to get dark. In Canberra, for instance, it starts to get dark a bit before five in winter and about an hour later you could say it's dark. Here, it starts to get dark about twenty past four at the moment, and it's pitch bloody black twenty minutes later.

Having grown up in Brisbane with its two seasons (hot and less hot), I love having this variety. And, luckily, I like riding at night.

2:22 pm  

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