Too Good to Burn

Brendan Hamley

Below the moon at Uffington
between the folds of chalkhill gown,
we sit beneath the White Horse stars,
see flames and sing this song.

O’ Stars and embers dance your crown
as woodsmoke turns the hour’s dust,
and as we do these things we must,
this night it shall be ours

Above, see nervous lanterns rise
like strange birds from another time,
we wait below this all tonight,
and contemplate the flow.

Stars and embers dance your crown
as woodsmoke turns the hour’s dust,
and as we do these things we must,
we know, this night is ours.

Below the moon at Uffington
we sing beneath your ancient night
we contemplate the eventide
and tell of White Horse downs.

So stars and embers raise your crown,
as woodsmoke turns, the hours must -
we hold one simple truth to trust,
this night is ours to own.

Now sit, and sing with us.

 

THe white horse is a massive chalk figure cut into the chalk hills at Uffington. It is thought to date from the late Bronze Age.

Poetry Atlas has many other poems about Oxfordshire.


Main Location:

The White Horse, Uffington, Oxfordshire


Other locations:

The White Horse on the downs at Uffington