Herbert often thought of Sommiéres

by Parrish Lantern
(Canterbury, England)

Annexed to a king and pope
Innocent's war. We held our beliefs
between river and rock, yet they
came as a flood to sweep us away.
They came with a paper Sharp
as a blade.


38 houses stood backs to the wall.
A percussion of iron and
boiling of oil. Laid
siege by the marshal
decked out all royal.


We marched on full honours
We stepped side by side.
It's true a man's stomach
can a few hours survive
sucking the back straight
on the marrow of pride.


38 houses stood backs to the wall.
A percussion of iron and
boiling of oil. Laid
siege by the marshal
decked out all royal.


Crossing the bridge that Tiberius
built. Away from the lust
of a kings second wife,
through stunted oak and
wild scented thyme.
We fled across borders and
what was our lives


38 houses stood backs to the wall.
A percussion of iron and
boiling of oil. Laid
siege by the marshal
decked out all royal.


Two and a half thousand corpses
lay where they fell. A
percussion of iron, in
the boiling of hell.
Besieged by King Louis
and a pope's divine will.