Firestone

This poem was written by Roy Smith.  The Firestone track near the villages of Farnah Green and Hazelwood is an old Roman Road. As small children we played on the sandy track shown here. Firestone is the most southern point of the Pennine Chain, overlooking the towns of Belper and Milford. 

Firestone

When Roman Legions passed this way,
On long straight stony path along the top,
What thoughts did stir these battle men?
‘How far yet before we rest? These blessed hills!
At least we see the valley bottom here,
No rivers need we cross on this high ground!’
They never dreamt that these untutored souls about,
Seen to flee so fast and hide so well,
Would one day have an empire bigger yet!
The road would still be there the sand and rocks,
The Firestone rocks that pushed aside the cloak of earth
To show the realm the sandstone bones beneath.
The ribs the chest the heart of England beats on Firestone.

Who are these boys who sit and scratch the sandy trail?
Are they what live and play and languish here?
The scattered remnants of those days are here to use this road!
Would live and play along this track of tracks,
Where soldiers trod and stamped their way,
To claim this road for Rome and now was theirs.
Where chariots rang they play among the sand,
Along its ancient ruts, washed clean by Derby’s rain.
No trumpet blast, no ordered calls or steely glint,
With only wooden swords they fought and copied battle men,
For now at least this poor ground and this track was theirs,
No Roman Legion now, the marchers power has gone,
Two great empires of this road have been and gone on Firestone.

Written by Roy Smith