Political poems

Every age has its nihilists for sure,
But nihilists don't find fertile ground
In the rich and lazy but in the poor
Who suffer years of abuse, who can't be found

Supping at the High Table, bellies fat,
Or in committees, deciding the Fate
Of continents and lands, but struggle at
The edge of life in some eternal wait

For justice that never comes, for wisdom
That's never shown, for compassion
That dies on the lips of those that mouth freedom
Whilst meddling in the hearts of their nation.

Say it's not so, but brutalism reigns:
Perhaps the nihilists must break their chains.

8/10/01

Patriotic Fervour

Patriotic poems are so easy.

'Such talent!' they said,
'Putting all Our Thoughts Down -
How the towers crumbled,
How now we stand and fight
THE ENEMY

HOW RIGHT WE ARE

How in our fervour

WE SHALL OVERCOME
and
WE SHALL WIN IN THE END' -

Let's elevate that talent,
Gather in our admiring groups
And in our admiring groups
Admire ourselves

FOR BEING SUCH NICE, TALENTED PEOPLE -

and let us donate trillions and squillions
To the families of those that died,
And now (begin to whisper)
Let's forget the 500,000 starved children in Iraq,
Some war in Vietnam or Cambodia (what was that about?)
Nicaragua, Chile, Haiti,
Whilst Bolivia, I believe, is heading back to the stone-age
As Israel busily shoots children in the streets -

Still, we're actually

VERY NICE PEOPLE

And our patriotic poem

SAYS ALL THAT

So that's all right then,
Isn't it?

October 2001