The Crystal Palace Is Burning

The Crystal Palace was a huge glass-house built for the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park in 1851. Moved to South London, it was destroyed by fire in 1936.

You do not expect glass to burn,

letting out the fire trapped in panes,

white light having been caught before.

But it does.

They say you can see the flames

as far away as Brighton.

The end of an age.

A widow in a frame of 

melted lead and cast iron.

Flowers of smoke.

A fallen bird, with

ribs of a serious time.

Reviews

[Ruth]

Again, another moment captured and framed....expressively so, this is awesome! x

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Leslie you have captured the wonder and the image of this fantasic structures demise. the bird cage image broken like ribs is the picture we often see of this event.

[writing mojo]

the ending of this piece is breath taking, and I would love to see such a structure..the inspiration is very well thought out and symbolic..great piece

[Emily B]

what a marvel it must have been in its day though . . . so bright and shining