Introit

It raindrops on the cold
Silver windowpanes
Of evening, starting to stare

With innumerable eyes over
The Military, white
-faced as young girls …

‘We’re all going to be blown
To hell’s gates’ cries
The Welsh one: ‘The bomb is

Going off at the gasworks!’
A sudden ball of orange
Spurts over the black

-board sky of chalk
Houses, and old ladies and
Soldiers shake like flowers

Crying ‘Christ!’ and ‘Fuck!’

© Padraic Fiacc, Introit 1986

Padraic Fiacc provides a simple description of the reaction to a bomb blast. Explosions were almost nightly occurances in Belfast during much of the troubles.