Gogmagog’s Leap*

He did not leap
He was hurled down
Twelve feet tall and huge
He couldn’t even have been moved
Corineus killed him
The right hand of
Brutus, gods’ Anointed
Gods said, "Kill
The giants, Invade
The land and
Rule’’
And they killed them
And established Peace
Till they found Gogmagog
The largest of the Natives

He was dumb
For he never spoke
In their Language
And savage
For they saw he was He
He was Bare and unarmed
But they detected the invisible Atom
Throbbing to explode
Beneath his Tongue

Cruelty copulated with Horror

In the course of time
The Fist came out
Bursting Mother
(Later he killed Father)
He tried Gogmagog when
He was asleep in his Cave
With his Children
And convicted him
Of War and Penury

So they gathered their arms
Marched to the cave
Through the Spider-hole
Saw him sleeping

They swarmed over him
Tied him to his Cot
Plucked his Unknown tongue
Blinded him of his Visions
Lowered him to their shoulders
And carried to the Heath where
Corineus awaited him
Striped like a cat
And Stars in his eyes

(And Brutus sat under a Bush watching)

The contest began
Gogmagog freed his hands
Broke Corineus’
Three Ribs
Two on the right and one on the left
Corineus infuriated
Heaved the giant with his cot
On to his shoulders
Ran to a cliff
Hurled the monster (could he?)
Far out into the Sea where
He was dashed into
A thousand fragments and
Stained the Waters with his blood

His Young grew up

Some of them were killed
Some died in prison
Some were tamed and
Used to pull their Chariots
They corrupted their Heifers
New Gogmagogs were born
They live in caves
Some of them are hurled down
And some leap
To the sea


* Geoffrey of Monmouth
Historia Regum Britanniae i. 13