In our town we are run by bells.
The cock tower chimes us the hour.
The school yard chimes us our lessons.
The church chimes us to mass twice weekly.
These bells are good for us.
They all occur during the day when it is safe to be.
These aren't all of the bells though.
Some happen during the night when we shouldn't go out.
One at ten chimes for the iron collectors.
They source their iron from anything nearby.
Mostly old things, we've had to replace what they've taken.
We can't replace the people they leave, anaemic and mute.
One chimes at twelve thirty and we must never answer.
If we hear it we are to turn away from the windows.
We are to hide somewhere where their searchlights can't see.
They have such bright lights.
Why are their bells the loudest?
Why do they come from underground accompanied by scratching noises?
So many have been lost to those bells and they grow ever louder.
Twelve thirty comes too soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment