Half a mile, half a mile,

half a mile onward,

down the avenues,

into the park

Into the valley of lies,

rode the two hundred:

“Steady, steady,” whispered the drivers,

“We will not be banned.”

“Forward, horses,” urged the drivers,

Was there a man or woman defeated or dismayed?

The enemy had blundered,

it was time to make reply,

not to argue or reason way.

Theirs but to speak the truth,

and shatter the lies,

shouting,

“we are human beings,

we will not be banned.”

Demonstrators to the right of them,

police to the left of them,

cameras all around them,

the park shuddered with anger and lies,

Calmly they rode and well,

into the jaws of money and power,

against the mllionaires and the mayor,

the developers and the reporters,

the TV celebrities and the electric cars.

Accusations to the left of them, chants to the right of them,

storm’d at with blogs and posters, money and falsehoods

horse and driver stood tall and proud,

that they had fought so long and fought so well.

It was the time of the horses, the big and gentle

animals had gathered themselves,

called up the spirits of the times,

come out of their stables to make their

stand in the beautiful park in the great city,

and bring their world to a halt.

All that were left of them were there in protest,

the thousands and thousands

who had built the country, founded the city.

Remember us, they said, remember us.

Who will let their glory fade?

Or fail to remember the final charge they made,

as all the world wondered in surprise and awe,

to honor their stand?

For this, the horses said, is our world,

and you cannot drive us from it,

We will not be banned.

 

– I thank Alfred, Lord Tennyson, author of the “Charge Of The Light Brigade,”  for the inspiration for this poem.