You'Re A Liar Mr Churchill Poem by Adrian Taheny
You'Re A Liar Mr Churchill
“And all our planes returned safely” he said
And a packed room sat in disbelief
But hung on every word that emanated
From that magical box on the kitchen table.
“We’ve come a long way from the penny paper” he said
And they remembered gathering in Quigley’s house
To hear the National and International news read
From the only paper in the village, for a fortnight.
“In the Name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost”, she said
And like a well drilled regiment they dropped
And knelt on bended knee, cap in hand,
And prayed to God at the Angelus bell.
“No news is good news”, the postman always said
And still the hunger grew for any news
That filled ordinary lives with extraordinary images
Of other worlds, a thousand miles away.
“Turn your Radio on” she sang
And they did and filled their minds
With words and music, and Sunday plays
For seventy five years of radio days.
i haven't read all of your poems yet, but I like this one very much. My only criticism which I hope is helpful is with the anonymous he said, she said, she sang [is there a song turn your radio on? ? ] the first he said is obviously Churchill, but then the second he said is confusing. could he have an identity? father said, mother said, for instance? I like the lines especially 'packed room sat in disbelief] and the regiment metaphor, which echoes the war situation and semi-unconscious subservience to authority of govt or church......
Thank you for your comments. The he said and she said are meant to represent announcers / presenters on the radio and yes there was and is a song called Turn your radio on which was around during the war years. My father who died in 2012 (aged 92) recalled these stories to me and vividly explained the scene around the radio, awaiting news of the war. The local sentiment was very anti British and when The Prime Minister would say things like all our planes returned safely a certain gentleman would jump to his feet and shout at the radio You're a liar Mr Churchill. (hence the title)
oooohhhh...this IS terrific! ! ! Makes the reader feel like they're there, gathered round the radio, reading a torn, used newspaper...write more of these...PLEASE! xxElysabeth
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/25/2024 1:13:43 AM # 1.0.0.1119
thanks for your quick reply! the title made me think the first quote was Churchill himself. maybe you could say 'the radio said' - i don't know if I am the only one who didnt get who was speaking. But the poem reads like an accurate record of what happened, which is what makes it so good, capturing in poetry a piece of history. I would like to see in the poem something about a certain gentleman would jump to his feet and shout at the radio You're a liar Mr Churchill. very enjoyable and worthwhile poem.