(FOR STEPHANIE BOTTRILL)
AS THEY SIT IN THEIR SPLENDOUR
PLANNING NEW MODES OF ATTACK
THEY DISCOVERED THE SPARE ROOM SUPPLEMENT
BETTER KNOWN AS THE BEDROOM TAX
A CUNNING CONCOCTION OF LAISSEZ-FAIRE AND BIG BROTHER
A METICULOUS MALEDICTA
THAT SETS ONE AGAINST ANOTHER
AND EACH TO JUDGE THE OTHER
AS STARBUCKS AND AMAZON FIND NEW WAYS TO FALL BENEATH THE RADAR
THE MOST VULNERABLE, THE SICK, THE POOR
ARE TARGETED BY IDS, THE MORAL CRUSADER
ALSO KNOWN AS THE SOCIETAL RAPER
BEDROOMS COUNTED
BENEFITS SLASHED INTO THE NEGATIVE
ECONOMIC POLICY PARADES AS MORAL IMPERATIVE
BLAME SPEWS FROM A CAPITALIST FUNDAMENTALIST
THAT EMBODIES THE HIJAB AND THE CRUCIFIXION
IN ONE SWOOP OF HIS RHETORIC,
THE EUPHORIC PRONOUNCEMENTS WHOSE AGENDA IS DESECRATION
THAT ABHORS WASTE
AND VALUES AUSTERITY
ADMONISHES FOOD BANKS FOR CHARITY
YET
ELEVATES MAN TO MAN INHUMANITY
UNDER THE GUISE OF FREE MARKET ECONOMY
WHEN NOTHING GOES IN
NOTHING COMES OUT
SURVIVAL THE STAPLE
EXISTING, THOSE LABELLED
AS THOUGHT PROCESSES STARVED WITH DOUBT
CHOICE BECOMES
BLANKETS INSTEAD OF HEAT
FOODBANKS PLACED IN SCHOOLS
PLACE THE NON PAYERS ON THE DUCKING STOOL
UNTIL COMMUNITY
UNTIL CARE
UNTIL UNITY
BECOME OBSOLETE
‘you have nothing to fear
it is a proud duty to provide
financial security
to the most vulnerable members of society
and this will not change’ Ian Duncan smith 2010
THAT WAS THEN
THIS IS NOW
AS TODAY I READ OF THOSE
THREATENED WITH LETTERS
SENT BY THEIR BETTERS
ATOS INTERVIEWERS
BENEFIT REVIEWS
THEN
SUICIDE NOTES
FROM FREEZING COLD FLATS
PUSHED TO THE EDGE
BY DUNCAN SMITH’S PLEDGE
TO REDUCE THE STATS
AS HE / THEY SIT IN THEIR SHINEY SAFE SPLENDOUR
PLANNING THE NEXT ATTACK
TAKING PRIDE IN THEIR NEW MORTUARY SLABS
UPON WHICH LAY
THE VICTIMS OF THEIR SUBTLE FINAL SOLUTION
THE BEDROOM TAX
Patrick Jones
Pic: Claire Palmer