Lawrence Hall, HSG
The British Army Pocket Knife
A great big chunk of
folded Sheffield steel
For pocket, backpack,
toolbox, or workbench
Rope work, leather work,
awning work, rifle repair
Gutting a rabbit for dinner
if it comes to that
No plastic-y Swiss
gimcrackery for us
One tightens the blade by taking
a hammer to the rivets
And sharpens it hastily on
a handy rock
Wash off the mud and the
blood and it’s good to go
It’s clanky, clunky, and
out-of-date – it’s British
As British as can be - and
so are we
I’m not
British, but I needed a voice and a rhyme. My Hall ancestors were transported
from Northern England to the New World for being bad, and the same for my
deBeauville / Beauville / Beville / Bevil ancestors from Chesterton and my
McQueen ancestors from Scotland.
I love my
nifty British Army knife.
