Tewksbury
Originally uploaded by erase.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT (AGAIN)

This image is from the annual re enactment of the Battle of Tewksbury which as you will all know was one of the engagements of the Wars of Roses in the 15th C . The junior son-in-law found the proceedings rather boring-fighting unconvincing and no blood spilt and only one minor casualty from a rubber arrow. He thought that the participants were only interested in the dressing up bit. But I have to admit Tewksbury revisited seems much more spectacular than the replay of the Battle of Halidon Hill as part of the Union of the Crown events last year. The English cavalry never arrived having not survived the A1 . Only a handful of soldiers took part-all with Yorkshire accents except for Edward III who was an obvious Scot; all the action was in the beer tent. UN peace keepers might learn from that.



Union of the Crowns


The man in full armour,
emblazoned with a Saltire
and a Yorkshire accent
sold me a lager in
a Woolworths' flagon.

Outside the Ale tent
Dismounted knights
(Horse transporter broken down
on the A1)
refought the Battle
of Halidon Hill
while Edward the Third, crown wilting
in the drizzle
picked
mud of his toes.

This time the Scots won
But no one noticed.
(or at least in the Ale tent
they didn't)

(Contemporary Bard)