1952 Killer Smog London
In my trash today, from Friends Reunited,
Came memories of Londoners’, blighted,
And thoughts of a yellow killer smog,
The 1952 London fog.
In the turmeric thick choke,
Caused by fumes, fires and smoke,
All wore scarves ‘round faces and throats,
And hoped they wouldn’t die.
They couldn’t see their hands in front,
Found, reaching blindly, the known fire hydrant,
Smog, acrid taste, texture of grit,
Touching the tongue as bitter spit.
Folk got lost just crossing the road,
Suffered severe coughing episodes,
4,000 people died in 4 days, still,
8,000 more perished, 100,000 became ill.
This air pollution event in UK history
Remains in living memory,
People lost loved ones who couldn’t cope
With the cloying, all-consuming choke.
After, fires burned not coal but coke,
(No, not the drink nor the white powder, nope).
The ’56 Clean Air Act was invoked
So people wouldn’t die.
Do I recall this? No, not I,
Social Media rectified my
Lack of knowledge that so many died,
In so very short a time.
Polly Robinson © 2013
From a prompt by Brian Miller at dVerse poets: Reaching the Masses ~ Brian asked us to write a poem from the perspective of one of the medias and into my Trash popped the info I’ve used in this poem ~ for sure this event sadly did reach the masses
27/01/2013 at 10:10
We had the same thing here. Clean air act was the only good thing Mary Harney did.
27/01/2013 at 10:19
… and apparently the Chinese are suffering similarly now … couldn’t believe how many people this affected.
27/01/2013 at 10:41
That is true! I was at the great wall four years ago. Couldn’t see a damn thing!
27/01/2013 at 10:52
Because of fog / smog or was it the morning after the night before?
27/01/2013 at 13:32
Oh! Smog! It is supposed to be bad at that time of year. The plane smelled of brimstone when we landed.
27/01/2013 at 13:34
There are several comments about the smell of the stuff on the original article that I quote ~ extraordinary to think it’s still happening …
27/01/2013 at 11:06
The internet can be very informative but also a double edged sword. I had no idea about The Coke Smog.
27/01/2013 at 11:15
I can but vaguely recall my parents talking about it, but had no idea so many had lost their lives ~ it must have been really frightening.
27/01/2013 at 12:26
Thank you for the reminder of this.great piece
27/01/2013 at 12:42
Thank you ~ I think we sometimes forget how lucky we are that our forbears sorted this sort of thing out so long ago …
Glad you liked it.
27/01/2013 at 12:41
ugh…so tough…i haven’t heard about that …but that certainly is a big advantage that we have now in the internet age, that we have really high quality and well researched information about all kinds of events on our fingertips…
27/01/2013 at 12:43
Couldn’t agree more, Claudia. I’d forgotten about it if I ever ‘really’ knew … but others are still going through it, apparently.
27/01/2013 at 13:51
Very nice. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio where the air was poisonous in my youth. Later, I lived in Chengdu (China) where the air was the same. We can change it — the media can help us see the hope.
Very cool writing today!
27/01/2013 at 14:15
That’s the most positive thing about our various communication tools, there are few places left to hide for those who should have known better for a long, long time.
Thanks for commenting Sabio and glad you enjoyed it.
27/01/2013 at 14:00
A positive use, of many, of the internet…thanks for sharing with us . I vaguely remember that….just think of what people could do if the media would cooperate….and with cell phones and internet, crimes can be solved more quickly…lives saved in many ways…then there are the cons…lack of privacy etc. but it can be made better
27/01/2013 at 14:16
So true, so true … there’s nowhere to hide now … and yet they still try …
Thanks for your comments
27/01/2013 at 15:04
it is intersting how fast we get our news now…a good and bad thing…informed but from a more raw perspective as well…getting impressions and feelings as much as the facts….the air pollution, ugh…i fear we may see moreof that you know….
27/01/2013 at 15:06
hmmm … it seems this particular problem has been around for a very, very long time …
Thanks for your comments Brian.
27/01/2013 at 15:26
When I was working on my master’s of public health degree a few years back, this was one of the environmental catastrophes we discussed in our environmental health science course. So horrible.
27/01/2013 at 15:28
It seems extraordinary to think that pollution was such a problem so many years ago ~ there again you think of the Great Plague of London and the Great Fire … continuity and change was something I studied for one of my degrees ~ fascinating stuff.
Thanks for your comments, Carrie. Most welcome as always
x
27/01/2013 at 15:30
Always enjoy reading your work, Polly. And I only have 90 minutes left of this magic convention before heading home. Phew. As my son is learning the latest card techniques, I’m reading blog posts. Seems like a perfect exchange.
27/01/2013 at 15:41
Has he had a good time at the magic convention, Carrie? Bet he has
Nice to see you’re catching up with the blogs ~ definitely fair exchange. Hey, you, you’re a POET!!!! 
Yay!!
27/01/2013 at 15:44
Yep. Probably my one and only poem. Until the next time I want to make people ill…
My son has had a blast. Went to every single event tirelessly.
27/01/2013 at 15:52
heh-heh … you are a one!
So pleased to see he’s enjoyed himself ~ must be keen if he’s been to every event ~ all power to him
27/01/2013 at 19:38
Polly, this is so strong. I remember how the city smelled here, when the steel plants were active. It was its own special kind of hell.
27/01/2013 at 20:01
Evidently those who smelled it never forget it ~ thanks for your comments Susan ~ hope the poem demos some of that …
27/01/2013 at 20:03
It does, so vividly.
27/01/2013 at 20:15
It must be an aroma that lingers …
27/01/2013 at 22:40
I’m way too young to remember this, but it did form part of our history curriculum – although they didn’t tell us how lethal it was. Nce piece of writing, Polly, and judging form the comments, you’ve struck a chord in some people’s memories.
28/01/2013 at 00:04
heh-heh Tony, you know I’d never doubt you
I was most shocked by the number of deaths linked to it ~ some disaster ~ and largely man-made. At least they did something about it ~ thankful for that.
Good to see you thought it a nice piece of writing ~ thank you.
28/01/2013 at 06:42
Polly, I read about this event. Your phrase, “the tumeric thick choke,” hits hard, and is the perfect description. I also found out that the word “smog” was coined in London: Half fog, half sooty smoke.
Thanks for letting others know about this tragedy. Those who do not remember history… right? Peace, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/01/27/extra-extra-editorial-comment-by-moi/
28/01/2013 at 07:17
I wondered whether this one would pique your interest, Amy. It’s a hard story to read. The thought that people are still suffering this sort of fog in some parts of the world is awful. And you can see, from the comments on this poem, that it is still very much about. That’s a disgrace. ‘Those who do not remember history …’ as you say ~ but really, there are few excuses for letting things get that bad especially with the methods of communication we have today.
Many thanks for your comments.
28/01/2013 at 21:30
The smell of acrid burning coke is stifling. Both my Mum and Gran were caretakers for the NUM and CISWO I remember my Dad and my Granddad stoking up the boilers to run the ‘central heating’ of the day! I remember flues not working and we’d have to open all the windows and doors and evacuate for ages!!
28/01/2013 at 22:02
OMG ~ it’s humbling to see the memories this post has brought back for people … both my Grandads worked in the pits in Wales and other family members in England. I recall the strikes in the 70s when so many fought to keep them open …
28/01/2013 at 22:06
Yes- my Mum’s side of the family were miners. My first job was in the midst of the strikes. Difficult times – lots of communities became ghost towns after the pits closed.
28/01/2013 at 23:10
Those were troubled days for so many ~ the three day week ~ baking bread ~ little electricity ~ my children were all small then so it was a worry ~ seem to think we were still in the grip of the threat of something nuclear too … such a long time ago now …
29/01/2013 at 11:43
Remember it well! Ah memories – no wonder we have a talent for poetry and writing!