Moonlight Sonata

In November 14 1940 500 planes of the the German Luftwaffe bombed Coventry City centre. Their code name for this operation was Moonlight Sonata. Edna Viner was an off duty probationary nurse. A lovely starry moonlit night, With extra incandescent light, Parachutes with chandelier flares, Edna Viner sits and stares. Alighting from a city bus, Bemused, blinking, what's the fuss? Air raid sirens howled, moaned, "I bet it's Birmingham" she groaned. "Not here I hope, it's my night out, My one and only drinking bout" Then calling in to see her friend, Her leisure time, soon to end. At once the symphony began, Coventry reacts to Hitler's plan, Incendiary bombs clatter down, Like Christmas lights all around. Buckets of sand douse the flames, Ladies help in human chains, Searchlights probed the sky around, Fire engine's bells resound. The sharp bark of Bofor guns, The glistening sweat of Coventry's sons, High explosive bombs thud down, To shake the heart of this boom town. Fire watchers on roof tops high, Silhouetted against the sky, Buildings seem to leave the ground, Bricks, mortar, spewed around. The old Cathedral gets it next, As if deserved of no respect, High explosive bombs come first, Then when the lofty steeple bursts. Showers of incendiaries fall all round, Blackening the very ground, Just one great wall of searing fire, For those inside a funeral pyre. Cov and Warwick's hospital now. All the staff survived somehow, They worked all night, did their best. Still 520 were laid to rest. "Moolight Sonata" on YouTube By: John Bishop (UK) Copyright John Bishop 2004 - All rights reserved-jobee

The relations of Edna Viner [lady in poem] have informed me she is buried in Allesley church yard.