Hadrian’s Wall
It winds its way across the hills dividing feudal ownership
Our ancient Roman wall, a mark of absolute dictatorship.
The many engineers and slaves who built this stony fence
Civilising Britain with a practical defence.
Back then, when conquered Kingdoms in the South paid Caesar’s tax,
The Celts and Scots in Scotia roamed free and poured through cracks
Of every kind of armour, and with wild and savage force
To waylay every Roman legion scattering off course.
And up and down and back and forth, unlimited they strove
Those Romans and those Scottish Clans, like predators they drove
Their quarry all around this wall the Emperor had built
To keep the hordes of Scotsmen back so long before the kilt.
It marks these times when history was written in such fights
To hold dominion in your home and other human rights
And still the wildest nature, here where friend and foe both halt
To gaze at this construction set where Nature is at fault.
Two thousand years since Hadrian, it still inspires with awe
This wonderful creation of the ancient Roman law
The hills and crags supporting stones that, weathering, decrease
And smile with every sunny way that sets and keeps the peace.