Poem: The Fire at Alexandra Palace

I saw the Palace burning,

Burning, burning,

I saw the Palace burning

Lighting up the sky 

 

A smoke-grey finger swirling
Swirling, swirling
Just glimpsed between the houses
Pointing to the sky

Then crowds of people surging
Surging, surging
To see the flames go licking
Up towards the sky

And scarlet engines racing
Racing, racing
With firebells loudly ringing,

Their clanging filled the sky

Like ants appeared the firemen,

Firemen, firemen

Swarming round the building

Dark forms against the sky

And children rushing forward,

Forward, forward

While policemen barred their progress

As they looked up to the sky

And beams and ashes falling

Falling, falling

Made everyone step backwards

As they watched the darkening sky

And now the wind was blowing

Blowing, blowing

And flames and smoke now billowed

In their race to meet the sky

And fiercely sprayed the water,

Water, water

As the firemen turned their hoses

Up towards the sky

Then home we turned, exhausted,

Exhausted, exhausted

The fire raged ever fiercer

And lit the dusky sky

The blaze was like a beacon

Beacon, beacon

All London saw it burning

Till dawn suffused the sky
       Then Lloyds paid out eight million                                   £8,000,000

       Eight million, eight million

       And the Owners were so happy                                     

       Their insurance was sky high                                   

Diana Grant


                 (c)

And if you would like to see more of my photographs of the fire at Alexandra Palace on 10th July 1980 and my comments, try this link "The Fire at Alexandra Palace"