Donations are essential to keep Write Out Loud going    

The rising of the north

Do you really want to sit there on the 21st floor

Mixing matches, making matchstick men to bore

Your friends witless as you, once again, tell the tale.

Of when you once went north, further than Watford vale,

I know you never doubt yourself, my rhyming cavalier,

But a little word of warning in your shell-like ear:

Waiting for promotion to SW3?

Waiting for the loss-adjustors, to see?

Could you media-bore-globalists really give a toss.

As you scuttle back down to London at a loss?

Your plea is only heard in the rich man’s neighbourhood.

For sure, the north’s another country, and it floods,

This post-industrial landscape’s deep within our blood.

Metropolitan man and woman treat us with derision.

Their politicians are all liars, deceivers, cheats

You can trap them by exposing their conceit.

To tell the truth completely, to own up to it all,

To be the less-deceived, the north stands tall.

 

 

 

◄ Vanishing point

For Anna Akhmatova ►

Comments

Profile image

John Marks

Fri 8th Nov 2019 21:26

Thank you Ray and Po. I wish I believed that an ideology could put families into warm homes with plenty to eat and some left over for Christmas, but I don't. It's up to each one of us to share what we can with folk on hard times. If we choose not to, we, and our children, will answer for that decision. Our carelessness for others was caught 'nicely' by Charlie Dickens in 'Bleak House'. After the totally unnecessary and pathetic death of Jo, the boy-crossing sweeper, Dickens writes:“Dead, your Majesty. Dead, my lords and gentlemen. Dead, Right Reverends and Wrong Reverends of every order. Dead, men and women, born with Heavenly compassion in your hearts. And dying thus around us every day.”

― Charles Dickens, Bleak House

Profile image

raypool

Fri 8th Nov 2019 16:57

Apparently Corbyn has promised to flood the whole country with much needed funds, presumably building castles in the northern air. We have enough of them down this way, or should I call them mansions? Desperation has many faces or should I say two? A nice exercise in irony John.

Ray

If you wish to post a comment you must login.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Find out more Hide this message