Londoners

Founded by glorious conquerors of ages past,

built strong with the majesty of Victorian nobility,

yet steeped in a history of cold brutality.

This vast intricate labyrinth of ours is paved not with gold

but the twisting turns of cobbled corners,

drunken bloodthirsty back streets

of old London stock brick, slate and steel.

An earthen fabric mixed with the blood and sweat

of London's ghostly labourers long dead.

Laid as ventricles for the beating heart

of an empire once forged, then torn down

but still pumping the warm rush of life blood; 

a backwash of rich cultural diversity

fermented, vibrant and found not wanting  

but exalted in solidarity.

Seven million hard working men and women
the children of a bygone era

bound by a fresh lust for life

And Londoners all.

Reviews

[ganymeder]

I really like the heart and blood metaphors for London.

[Bubo]

What a fabulous tale of London, and all that have resided............very good in imagary,
the flow of your words conjures many pictures,the good and bad.

An earthen fabric mixed with the blood and sweat
of London's ghostly labourers long dead.
Laid as ventricles for the beating heart
of an empire once forged, then torn down
but still pumping the warm rush of life blood;

The streets could be seen as ventricles.......the weaving and all that pulses within.............
paved with history, certainly not gold.........really powerful image of our town.