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The Power Station

We’re taken to see the lion in its cage.
It’s always feeding time. Our guide
escorts us past the tamed gauges.
We can hear it roar. We all stand aside.

The solemnities of a furnace door
opened, and we’re all flown at once
from the high Arctic to Zanzibar.
Coal being freed from its long sentence.

We imagine sticking our heads in there.
Some days the cooling towers’ plume
covers four English counties. We’re
inside the elephant in the room.

© Paul Farley 2008

Written in response to a visit to the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station at E.ON's invitation.

Ratcliffe on Soar power station is a familiar landmark beside the M1 motorway in Nottinghamshire. Paul was invited on a behind-the-scenes tour which included the control room, a walk around the cooling towers and a brief glimpse into the furnaces which burn coal at almost unimaginable temperatures.

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