Sunday 21 March 2010

What gets my goat?

I'll be out all day tomorrow so am posting my offering for the Poetry Bus Challenge today. TFE suggests we write about what makes us angry. I found it impossible to make this rant into a poem - I couldn't get a rhythm going and rhymes wouldn't come either - ideas came thick and fast and I could have gone on longer but it might have become just a boring list. (It might be boring anyway!).
.
What Gets my Goat?
Empty buildings left to rot
when there are so many homeless.
.
Fat Cat bonuses paid to bosses and
benefits paid to those who don't deserve them
while others in need get nothing.
.
Inadequate equipment for servicemen
when Party Conferences are held in luxury.
.
Farmers receiving less and less for their efforts -
forced to diversify when farming's what they do best.
.
Hospitals run by business managers
when they should be run by doctors and nurses.
.
Schools and the Police Force run by politicians
when they should be run by teachers and police.
.
Shops full of overpackaged goods
when we are drowning in refuse -
much of which can't be recycled.
.
Our ancestors would be horrified
by our poor husbandry of this country.
.
They struggled and fought so hard to improve it for us.
We've discarded their standards and wasted their achievements.
now we must pay the price.

.
No photos today - Olympus thingy is 'not responding'. It's been a glorious day here - I even had my lunch in the garden. The birds were singing and bees were buzzing. We can see the first birds nest of the year high up in a tree just the other side of our garden wall. It's a crows nest so when the eggs hatch I doubt we'll need to use the alarm clock! Do hope you had a lovely day too.

23 comments:

Carol Q said...

oh dear - I so agree with this Heather. does it make us grumpy old women?!

Totalfeckineejit said...

I think those who struggled before us for basic human and social rights would be horrified, both at the the total lack of them in most of the world and the total mismanagement of them in the rest. Well said, H!
Sometimes having neither rhyme nor (much) rhythm works well, throwing off the shackles and saying what you want to say. Bueno!

Totalfeckineejit said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maggi said...

So well said Heather and obviously deeply felt.

Heather said...

It might make me a grumpy old woman Carol, but you've a long way to go yet even if you do agree with me!

Doreen G said...

Too true Heather too true.

Julie said...

I agree Heather, well said. Hope you've had a good day and thank you for your kindness.

diane.ca said...

Right on Heather, you've said it all.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes! Agree totally.

Annie said...

I have to say I agree with what you've said. Well written.
A x

Peter Goulding said...

Sometimes I think of the old Dexy's song - the only way to change things / is to shoot men who arrange things.
Thats a great rant at injustice!

Wendy said...

Another grumpy here, I say Rights must = Responsibility + Reason. My new 3R's
Perhaps we need to recall all our nans and let them sort it out?

Batteson.Ind said...

the right annoyance :-) great stuff!

Maureen said...

With you all the way on this one Heather - So sorry I missed your birthday - you kept that quiet!! but glad you had a good day.

Enchanted Oak said...

We share a rant without rhyme but with heart. I'm enjoying my first trip on TFE’s Poetry Bus

Kat Mortensen said...

TFE's opened up a Pandora's Box of gripes, but I agree with all of them!

Titus said...

Well said Heather, and I love the way the anger has freed up your form for this one. Loved the phrase "our poor husbandry of this country". Grumpy maybe, but actually, you could cry.

BT said...

What a great non poem this is Heather, I agree with every word and could add a few of my own too. The destruction of the English Language! You hit the nail on the head. We've had a few of those lovely days too. They make your heart rise.

Argent said...

Have to agree too! Sometimes plain words written in unaffected style are all the more powerful for that.

Pure Fiction said...

Spot on - you've pin-pointed so many rage-inducing things about the lives we lead.
Maybe there should be a protest train - we could lobby the supermarkets to reduce packaging, stage protests outside empty, government owned buildings, and block up Fat Cat email addresses with irate emails!

Karen said...

I couldn't agree more, Heather!

Linda Vincent said...

I wish you were in charge of the country Heather.....

Digitalgran said...

I agree with every single one Heather and I suggest that a book of your peoms and images would be very much appreciated by us all and would sell well.