Backwards To The Future: A Tory Story

Satirical commentary on the current political climate in Britain

Please, sir- could you spare me a Beveridge?

Or perhaps just a small bite to eat?

Time’s is hard for we ‘poor but loyal’

Some is starved, some lives on the street

I don’t mean to be petulant, nor offend in any way

But could you spare a moment

To hear what a hungry tongue may say?

Perhaps if you’d bear with me and heed my tale of woe

You’d spare me some of your spare change, before you choose to go.



You see; a one eyed pirate tyrant once addressed a flailing nation

Two Princes were in waiting, at Big Brother viewer’s voting station,

They paced behind their podiums in P.R staged debates

Who would have the ‘X Factor’ in their plans to run the state?

‘It will be tough’, they all agreed, ‘to restore the economy’

‘We must make cuts to stop the rot and secure our recovery’

Blue and Yellow told us, throughout the fashion parade

That the whole thing, in the first place, was through mistakes that Red had made

‘Expenses rows’ forced future vows, while crime and immigration

Were the issues that most concerned the voting population.

But the trial by jury spectacle, so called ‘democracy’

Ended with a three way split- without majority

Those in suits soon rallied 'round: a show of unity

And, to avoid a re-election, blue and yellow made a deal

(Though the electorate had made it clear- the message was dissent

Surely its vote was a rope ‘round the throats of a hung parliament?)



So we was back to Victorian values and defending of the realm

The Good Ship of Attrition with Cameron at the helm

They said our lives was luxury, so they upped the V.A.T

We was taxed back to the blacklists and abject poverty

While public schoolboys hunted, amidst the howl of hounds,

And any that stood in their way was soon ran to the ground

I woke up one fine morning: Why I thought the pits had closed!

I thought,

Have I stepped into a time warp?

Am I again a slave in training while living on the dole?

Education, health and welfare were targets of their war

As we fell backwards to the future- the poorest needing ever more

On a Dickens of a diet, stale bread and stagnant water

Belt buckles scraping spinal chords

To feed our son’s and daughters

While a ‘coalition’ government- Conservative the rule

Were supporting those with wealth to burn

Within the House of Fools

And little Liberal lapdogs, lapped on laps of luxury

They had caught the scent of power and sold out every policy…



So, please sir, do not pass me by- please hear my pleas for alms

I’m a ragamuffin ruffian, but I don’t mean you no harm.

I just needs an opportunity- a leg up from the grime

My postcode and my heritage have been my only crimes

Reviews

[Thoctar]

This is just absolutely stunning. I love how well you have expressed the political situation in your home country. Hope you don't mind me being inspired to make a poem of my own! Truly amazing work as usual Spence, some of your best work in my opinion, hope to see more!

PS: Love how you express the poverty in the midst of plenty!

[Andrew Scorah]

Yup I like this one very contemporary.

[Ruth]

Powerful, potent!
Excellent!
As spoken word, wohoo! lol Gotta be a hard drone in the background and wierd landscape! :)
xx

[TTBoy28]

Nice tale about the "haves" and the "have nots." You could possibly put another word in between, "without ... majority." Interested in other things by you.