Ochil Hills horizon
Wallace Monument
Volcanic stump of Stirling town
Castle prominent
Ancient woodland
Balquidderock
Bannockburn’s quiet stream
My road named after archers
Achieving Scotland’s dream
Battles fought here long ago
Battle of Stirling Bridge
And on the plain a mile or so
Bannockburn’s fighting ridge
Today the only battles fought
We watch now at Forthview
They are doing well the Albion
Winning a fair few
The famous Sermon on the Mount
Gives remedies for woe
Moral guidance for our lives
A welcome wisdom so
But when it comes to conflict
We think the Lord naïve
We believe in armies for the fight
A million mothers grieve
The idea of love your enemy
So many think absurd
Do good to those who hurt you
Strictly for the birds
But wise men know that violence
Is foolishness indeed
The quiet way the thoughtful way
The way that we succeed
Evil men evil regimes
Thrive exerting force
As long as there’s resistance
They feel strong to hold their course
But once resistance disappears
And wiser ways are found
Their corruption rots them from inside
Their tower falls to the ground
The idea of patient suffering
We find hard to endure
But endurance says the Lord
Will win our lives
Stand firm for good in everything
Be patient and endure
It is the nature of the cross
And the cross became the cure
Brian Fahy
22 August 2021
Erris Poetry 