seventy two hours in 1941

                                       72 HOURS      

IN 1941 THE BOMBS TORE SWANSEA DOWN
AND LEFT A PILE OF RUBBLE BY THE SEA
FOR THREE NIGHTS THEY BLITZED THE TOWN
THE LUFTWAFFE TARGETS FOUND
BEN EVANS NO LONGER COULD BE SEEN

THE SEA HAD A GOLDEN REFLECTION
AND THE SMOKE BILLOWED UP TO THE SKY
FORTY ONE ACRES OF SWANSEA DESTROYED
TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY TOWNS FOLK DIED

SEVENTY TWO HOURS OF BOMBING SEAMED ENDLESS
DESTRUCTION IT RAINED FROM NIGHT SKIES
ELEVEN THOUSAND BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED
OVER EIGHT HUNDRED BUILDINGS DESTROYED

AND A GLOW COULD BE SEEN FROM GORSEINON
AND FROM THE MOUNTAINS THAT RISE TO THE WEST
THE VIEW LOOKED LIKE HELL FROM THE TOP OF TOWN HILL
WHEN THE DEVIL GAVE SWANSEA HER TEST

I HEAR THE MORRISTON ORPHEUS SINGING
MYFANWY WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYE'S
AS THEY ALL BOW THEIR HEADS AND REMEMBER
WHEN THE BOMBS FELL OUT OF THE SKY