By Gregory! It is nine of the eleven
Ninth day of the eleventh month to thee and me
From Dumont d’Urville to deepest Devon
Well since October fifteen eighty two that is
A microcosmic shift in time by papal decree
For a drifting vernal equinox did encumber
Keeping the date of Easter celebrations in line
Yet transposing eleven from alpha to number
Neatly resolves down to a numeric nine
And in the event that we fail to remember
Ninety eight years ago in nineteen eighteen
A mere two days hence in November
Brought an end to the Great War machine
– A.McTiernan
War by Keith Blackburn Oil on Canvas 1978