UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Saturday 3 December 2011

Poverty by Radical Rooney

Poverty stalks my dreams in the night
As he walks on the beach, ’tween tides of time
He shelters in shadows, away from the light
And thou I can’t see him, he follows my line
And nothing I do will make him take flight

But as he circles, sheltered in shade
I wander along to his old Devil song
And hear him and fear him and feel so afraid
For I wonder to whom my soul will belong
As he lurches along the trail I have made

Dragging Demons for me out the sack on his back
While I just need to sleep in dark dunes of sand
But he waits ’til I stagger to start his attack
Then seizes me tight in the grip of his hand
As the seams of my dreams all fade into black

So we wander along, shackled together
To shuffle the shore, at a slovenly pace
With Conscience in tow, whatever the weather
For she’s in no hurry to finish the race
With a hold of my soul, her song is forever

But stumbling on stones thrown up by the sea
My nemesis Death is heading this way
He digs up old wounds to hurl them at me
As stalking beneath this sky of slate-grey
He callously casts them with vigour and glee

Now I spot his companions Illness and Fear
Who are lurking close by, waiting to show
Their slow recognition, as we grow near
But now I do fear, they will deal me a blow
So I fight against Fate, to escape and get clear

But they come within reach, so we sit on the beach
In a hollow called Hope, where we celebrate Hate
A faithful old friend, who seems to be late
But the party has started, and will go on ’til dawn
When they all will decide, just to whom I belong

http://www.radicalpoetry.com/?page_id=182