Hannah Mehr King David High School

Hannah Mehr

King David High School

The Peterloo Massacre

We stood together – arm in arm – Sixty thousand who meant no harm, Our peaceful protest was allowed, Both young and old made up our crowd, We held our home-made flags up high, To fight for change or at least try, We stood and wore our Sunday best, For reform, equality and the rest, All people have the right to vote, Both men and women we should note, Our banner poles were topped with red, A symbol that had quickly spread, We faced the stage and watch men stun, Just sixty thousand of which I was one.

Then, the air shifted as footsteps drew near, A moment later men on horseback did appear, A spark of panic filled my chest, But we were sixty thousand and not distressed. We stood up tall and held our place, As more emerged and led the chase, The cavalry’s blades shone in the light, There was fear on our faces at the sight, They bolted forwards and charged the stage, The cries they spawned will last an age, The sabres cut and slashed and slayed, And all I did was watch dismayed, The man beside me hissed and fell, A woman heard her final knell, A child screamed and hit the ground, Then my world was lost to sound, Red-hot pain burst through my arm, As a blade carried out its harm, I lay on the floor as men raced by, And all I could do was question why, We were sixty thousand - all as one - And then for life we had to run.

The papers recount the day with dread, With over seven hundred injured and eighteen dead. The army blundered in and then, Hurt and killed protesting men, And to make all matters worse, Our cause was simply just dispersed, Then our leaders were on trial, The cavalry was cleared meanwhile. Our day of peace, hope and dreams, Had all but split across the seams.

We stood that day – arm in arm – Just sixty thousand who meant no harm.