Susan Hawthorne #157 cracker night (inspired by AC)

took place at the beginning of winter
24 May Empire Day and all the old
things burnt   we children collected
wood piled it into a giant bonfire cone
ready for the great night    it towered
about twelve feet high   we still thought
in imperial measures back then   as the
cold set in on a clear night we walked
across the paddock   my father always
wore his red jumper stretched tight across
his chest   old tyres were piled
against  wood to make smoke and
matches lit   a good bit of petrol
or kero lent a hand to start the fire
whoosh up it went in flames    we three
children had tom thumbs but not double
bungers    our father lit the catherine
wheel roman fountains and tossed a few
loud crackers then came the rockets
flying high into the sky trailing fire
the dark scrub behind us was like
those old forests from fairy tales
we were goblins or dwarves our faces
shining in the fire's exciting glow