Forgotten Ground Regained

King Penda’s Apache Attack Helicopters

Full heir of Edwin, Oswald of Northumbriato Maserfield marched -- mighty his host --to crush Cynddylan, King of the Powys,Oathsworn ally ‧ of Icel’s people.Son of Pybba, Penda of Mierce.many a pledge-man ‧ with pride and boldnessbrought to that battle ‧ to break Oswaldbut none could match ‧ in might or splendorweapons of wonder ‧ Weland crafted --with elven pilots, Penda’s gleamingApache attack ‧ helicopters.
Sun road shadows ‧ unforeseen by Oswald,banking to dive, blades revolving --[the] son of Aethelfrith ‧ sought his word-hoard: “Bollocks! Oswy ‧ bade me to leavenear Leeds my anti ‧ aircraft missilesready for war ‧ at the river Winwæd.”so King Penda’s ‧ Apache attackhelicopters ‧ coursing with blood lustand aviation fuel ‧ fired their elf-shotnailing another ‧ Northumbrian king:the godsforsaken, forsaken by God.
Martin Vine's note in Withowinde: I have to disagree with an aspect of the review of the Mercian Movement’s manifesto (Withewinde 112, p. 26). True we can’t equate modern enviromentalism and early English outlooks. But a heathen Saxon farmer would (by necessity) realise he was an integral part of the web of wyrd, and hence part of the earth’s cycles. Distance of time obscures, but I’m sure the attitude of most Englisc folc would closer resemble that of modern environmentalism, than that of modern free market capitalism. Regardless, I did like the image of King Penda’s Apache Attack Helicopters, which inspired this poem …
This poem was originally publilshed in Withowinde 114 p. 25, Summer, 1998
Copyright © Martin Vine, 1998
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