1st September 2019

(After Auden)

Strawberries and coffee /
The end of British democracy /
How’s your Sunday /
On this sunny morning?

I hear an intellectual yob /
With a wink and a nod /
Declare the Executive will now choose /
To only obey laws which it approves /

Take another bite of the croissant.
“Vote me — or chaos and more!” /
Haven’t we heard this one before? /
The centre lies bleeding , edges on top /
How many roasties do you want with lunch?

Before this week could you even spell ‘prorogue’? /
When did institutional vandalism become so en vogue? /
Winner takes all is all we can hear /
Bags packed for tomorrow’s new school year

Firestarting now a governing approach/
The people will’s now above reproach /
And if we have the temerity to disagree? /
The sun will still shine in October, just see

Coups, rebellions, civil wars and plots /
Every nation’s blessed until it’s not /
We hate Leviathan until he flees /
Leave the door open for the breeze

Ideologies run out of ideas /
A governing reboot feels like this /
Just-in-time living out of time /
Work begins again tomorrow at 9

Who cares whether it’s good /
‘Get it done’ the dominant mood /
How to respond to binary times? /
To retreat into ordinary lives

Subcontract out protest, direct action /
Voting now a transaction /
The silent majority, always in /
Don’t forget to put out the bins

Inchoate nostalgic imperial desires /
Collide with policy choices, expire /
Affirming flames can, do run wild /
Come back to bed, stay awhile