The Easter Rising 1916: Dublin and Rodborough Common

The conifers on Rodborough Common can appear incongruous:

A solitary copse on the thin soil above the Cotswold limestone;

Their dark trunks dominate the sky-scape,

The stunted trees shrouding the light,

Like men in front of a firing squad.

They were planted to commemorate the visit of Lord Baden-Powell,

Arch-imperialist, hero of Mafeking,

Leader of the boy-scout movement;

He was here on Easter Day 1916,

Unaware that the sun was about to set on the empire,

When James Connolly sat in the shrouded light:

A man tied to a chair in front of a firing squad.