Back in the day,
When I was a little whipper snapper in Leeds,
We would go “chumping”, as we called it, for firewood,
For weeks and weeks.

Everyone built towering infernos,
Ready for November Fifth:
Bonfire Night.
Some made effigies of the “evil” Guy Fawkes,
Leader of the “Gunpowder Plot”
And stood in the street saying
“Penny for the Guy”.

What a night!
Roaring fire on a chill Winter night,
Those flames burning your face.
A World War Three
Of Fireworks:
Rockets, Catherine Wheels and bangers.
Bangers to scare the girls.
Kids painting pictures in the air
With sparklers.

And best of all,
That yummy gingery Parkin cake:
A taste I cannot put
Into words.
Oh and deep dark
Treacle Toffee,
Jacket potatoes,
Roast chestnuts
And Crunchie-like cinder toffee.

It’s many a year since I went to a bonfire.
Politically correct firework displays
Are more the modern thing.

Seems strange to burn the effigy
Of a man who had the sense
To try to blow parliament up –
Especially a Yorkshire Man.
Ha ha.

But then I read that good
Religious reasons are behind
This bonfire Celebration:
Those flames are orange
After all.

Not wishing to create divisions
Anywhere in the world,
It’s still good to see traditions
Being maintained.

Let those fires and fireworks keep rising,
Constantly emerging from the shadows
Of Halloween.

Paul Butters

© PB 27\10\2018.

Written at the request of Stephen Chapman. “Treacle toffee” added later, with “jacket potatoes” and “cinder toffee” added on 31\10\18. "Roast chestnuts" added 18\11.

Bonfire night.


Bonfire night.  Oh what a fright.
A thousand explosions in the moonlit night.
The blackened sky lit up with little lights,
Like a Christmas tree, on November 5.


Guys with forks and knives eating burgers and fries
And hot dogs with the gals in front of the fire.
Let’s all get warm on this cold dark night;
Sparklers illuminate the faces of the laughing child.


Playing with fire is dangerous, so wear gloves on your hands,
In case the sparks burn you, but they won’t if you are careful and plan.
Each firework should be lit by an adult, not a child;
Because only adults are sensible enough to be that close to a fire.


Fire is dangerous and so are fireworks too;
So sit back and relax and watch the sky like I do.
Explosions of colour flicker in the night sky,
Painting pictures for us all on the blackboard in front of our eyes.


Bang!  And Boom!  Shout the scary fireworks up above,
As they scare the animals (The cats and the dogs).
So stay safe on Bonfire night and be with your family,
So you too can see the pretty colours that we all can see.


Light up the black sky on this starry, starry night
And sleep peacefully in your beds, without any frights.
The fireworks bang and scare the scary things away,
So we can all sleep peacefully in our beds,
Looking forward to Christmas day.


(C)2013 Aa Harvey. All Rights Reserved.