{on the statue
of a General
sat on horseback
in central London
I began writing this
In earnest while marching
It could have been anything
Apartheid, the overthrow of Allende
The miners and unemployment
The laws against trade unions
The arrival of cruise missiles at Greenham
War (of one sort or another)
What was happening in Ireland, Palestine
Fascism, capitalism
The sale of arms to despots
The climate or environment
Deaths in police custody
Local government reform (honestly)
Factory closures, freedom of expression
The right to party. Poll Tax. Maggie
I could have been writing merely to impress you
In forgetfulness we find ourselves
In memory we lose each other
.
Steven Taylor
Painting JMW Turner
.