by Jo Peacock, December 1992
Listen to me, come gather round To hear the tale of Twyford Down. Not dragons, kings or knights of old But new age heroes, brave and bold Who for our land are fighting still Behind the ancient sacred hill. In cheerless, dull and concrete times Grey faced people drew the lines And planned the roads to serve the car, Routes to take them near and far, Their all important motive, speed To ancient beauty paid no heed. And so the townsfolk all were told They had no choice, the land was sold. They argued, cried and shook their fists, Wrote letters, signed their names on lists But pleas and protests proved in vain. The soulless system wins again. Behind the town's St Catherine's Hill Where Twyford's downland lies so still Mysterious ancient trackways meet Worn deep by our ancestral feet. And in this magic place so fair Lived butterflies and orchids rare. Now as the time was drawing near Mechanical monsters, mindless fear Served by faceless yellow men Gathered there in strength -but then >From the land a power flowed Inspired a people to fight the road. The Dongas Tribe fought hard and long Against the shameful, savage wrong Being wreaked on this most precious place. Against huge odds they turned to face Society's great machine gone mad, Progress to nowhere, power gone bad. Kicked and punched and dragged through dirt, Assaulted, arrested, assailed and hurt, The defiant warriors valiantly still Defend their camp behind the hill Where shadow travellers no longer can Haunt an unspoilt ancient land. The rhythm of the land is in their dance To wake us from our imprisoning trance. The power of the land inspires their cry; "Aruga Aruga" the machines must die. They've learned to live with spirits freed Away from "civilized" degrading greed. But the tribe was beaten back Rare turf and plantlife stuffed in sacks. Behind the brutal razor wires The yellow army guards its fires. A nightmare landscape paves the way For a monstrous motorway. The struggle isn't over yet. The spirit in the Dongas met Has meant that hope will never die, The land lives on if you and I Can hear the call and rally round To fight the Battle of Twyford Down.