Monday, November 06, 2006

Remember, remember the 5th of November

Remember remember the 5th of November,
The Gunpowder, Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.

....
this is the opening lines of V for Vendetta and of the famous poem that celebrates Guy Fawkes Night (which used to be called "cracka night" in Australia until the 1980s the government banned fireworks, according to the Wikipedia).

Guy Fawkes Night is apparently mostly forgotten, though in V for Vendetta is sounded as if the poem supported Fawkes' attempt to blow up the parliment. The full rhyme however, is different and continues:
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent
to blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow:
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
Hip hip hoorah!
And then it goes on in another verse with anti-Catholic sentiments since apparently the whole issue was started since King James I was not being tolerant toward Catholics and this led to the conspiracy.

Anyhow, I just remembered that it today is the 5th of November.

1 comment:

kris said...

i really like this poem. I know its probably really wrong of me to like something so anti-catholic but there is something to be said for its imagery and style. (chris appologises for the spelling mistakes. he can't spell)