Foiled Words

No Stars out tonight
Only aeroplanes and satellites.
A rising wuf into the sky
The fireworks of fourth July.

But then again this is November
Fifth is what we must remember.
Bombs that failed the parliament
How Fawkes disguised his armaments.

Three British Catholic Gentlemen
Gunpowder in their plot against
The reigning Lords of government
Unfair the ways the laws were spent.

Lord Monteagle's interception
Of a message---his protection
Read to save one thousand more
And then Guy Fawkes was out the door.

With gentle tortures passed the clock
Until he met the gallows block.
A hero now, but never then
His foiled words are in ascent.

When you unwrap the foil from your rocket.
Think about the governmental pocket
And tell yourself that now we have the power
To stop them if they're seeming somewhat sour.

Light it, watch it rise and fall apart
Like empires taking other countries' hearts
And buckets full of hands and Belgian waiters
Singing over rotten mashed potatoes.