Jonathan's Blog: One geek's way in the universe

Worryingly.

I entered a poetry competition advertised at school with something I cooked up in half an hour, and amazingly they’re mad enough to want to publish it. (OK, so they don’t seem to be too selective and I have a feeling most of their business model is selling to proud parents).

Here it is, in all its dreadful glory:

I thunder as I debate: bankers,
And their bonuses; and bay for blood.
I sing The Red Flag,
Cry out for socialism
But in my heart
I’d rather keep the status quo.

My heart goes out to the starving
As I have a fourth bread roll.
I make excuses, or I try,
Say “It takes collective action”
But deep down I know
I’d really make a difference,
Going it alone.

I’ll vote for Labour
No matter what they do.
I say “It’s all we’ve got,
“the others are too small”
While a million think the same.

I am a champagne socialist.
I quaff my fizz with pride.
While all the time bemoaning
Deaths from African drought

I am an armchair activist,
I call for change
But like the way things are.
You are too, I know it,
So let me tell you now
If we do something, each of us,
We can get so far.

2 responses.

1. Ben Ward
   January 17th, 2010 at 4.22 pm #

   Ye gods.

2. Sean Whitton
   January 17th, 2010 at 4.30 pm #

   The poem makes a lot of valid points. I really do try to get better on these things: note my spending even less money than I would have to as a poor student. But the elections one really isn’t the same question because if we are looking for the most actions that help people, as opposed to making principles stances, tactical voting makes more sense.

   And this is what I, at least, tend to want at the polls.