The Rhyme of the Flying Bomb
Encyclopedia
The Rhyme of the Flying Bomb is a narrative poem written by Mervyn Peake
in 1947, and published with his felt-pen illustrations in 1962.
A sailor wandering in London
during a World War II
air-raid finds a new-born baby in the debris. He takes refuge with the child in an empty church, where it amazes him by levitating and speaking. A dialogue follows between the child, fresh from eternity, and the man mired in the temporal world. At dawn a flying bomb
falls on the church, killing them both.
The poem was set to music by Tristram Cary
in 1964 in an arrangement for piano, woodwinds, percussion and tape with two spoken parts. It was broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Commission
in 1976 with Barbara West, Alan Hodgson and musicians conducted by the composer.
Mervyn Peake
Mervyn Laurence Peake was an English writer, artist, poet and illustrator. He is best known for what are usually referred to as the Gormenghast books. They are sometimes compared to the work of his older contemporary J. R. R...
in 1947, and published with his felt-pen illustrations in 1962.
A sailor wandering in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
air-raid finds a new-born baby in the debris. He takes refuge with the child in an empty church, where it amazes him by levitating and speaking. A dialogue follows between the child, fresh from eternity, and the man mired in the temporal world. At dawn a flying bomb
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
falls on the church, killing them both.
The poem was set to music by Tristram Cary
Tristram Cary
Tristram Ogilvie Cary, OAM was a pioneering English-Australian composer.-Early life:Cary was born in Oxford, England, and educated at the Dragon School in Oxford and Westminster School in London. He was the son of a pianist and the novelist, Joyce Cary, author of Mister Johnson...
in 1964 in an arrangement for piano, woodwinds, percussion and tape with two spoken parts. It was broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Commission
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in 1976 with Barbara West, Alan Hodgson and musicians conducted by the composer.