Ashes Poetry

Hedley Verity

no one should die here, except in peace.
news travelled slowly; weeks, months or more passed
till all those who knew you heard of a hill
in Sicily, of wounds, of capture and death.

one more soldier, one more war,
where is its honour, except in us all,
to fight the aggressor who lives
in our breath, who heeds no call.

listen. it is the sound of a ball
beating bat, another wicket falls
in a ground well-hallowed:
the silence of dismissal
the ideal epistle
instant as the game goes on.

a telegram or a letter, perhaps a telephone call,
their mute finality makes no sense at all.
words march against destiny’s
order, fight those that are wrong
with the perfect flight of reason
to find, share and love in history’s throng.

It is our duty to cease yet care for others’ fall,
none should die, nor live, except in peace

Hedley Verity was arguably the best English slow-left armer ever. Wilfred Rhodes, who he replaced in the Yorkshire team, and who said ‘He’ll do’ is deemed top, and Derek Underwood, ‘Deadly’, current President of the MCC, is seen as number three of a triumverate. In 1934 Verity took 15 wickets, 14 in one day against Australia, Bradman twice, for England’s last Ashes victory at Lord’s till the current series. Two years earlier in the infamous Bodyline series, he ’stopped up’ one end while the quicks did their best/worst at the other. He was the only player on either side to lose his life in World War Two.