Sunday 8 October 2017

1973 - 74 : Up The Creek

One ha’ penny in his begging bowl
dirty finger nail scratches his soul.
Oi mate! can you spare me a smoke?
Get a job, snarled a grey suited bloke.

The call of the ballot, eighty one percent
unions have given their consent;
the radio broadcasts a stark news flash,
miners on strike, there’s no more cash.

See ’em all on a 3 day week,
the lights have gone out
we’re right up the creek.

Disgruntled bean counters on the 3rd floor
the plaques fallen off  the directors door:
Rod Stewart bangs on, You wear it well.
From his ivory tower the grey suit fell.

See ’em all on a 3 day week,
the lights have gone out
we’re right up the creek.

Dirty finger nail scratches his soul
two ha’ pennies in his begging bowl,
he looks on the suit with little care
Oi mate! I've got a ha'penny to share.

See ’em all on a 3 day week,
the lights have gone out
we’re right up the creek.

Notes:
To help conserve coal stocks and limit the commercial use of electricity the prime minister of the day,  Edward Heath, on 31 December 1973, implemented the Three-Day Work Order which remained in force up to 7th March 1974. Along side the miners strike the government had to deal with the 1973 - 74 oil crises / embargo.
(How those glasses become more rose tinted as time passes with age)


Julian Clarke © 2017

Linked to
Poets United, Sunday Pantry

14 comments:

  1. Love the cadence, the repetition and the whole atmosphere and lexicon!

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    1. Thank you for your remarks, as always they are much appreciated.

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  2. Sometimes we need a history lesson to let us know how far we have come - or how far we have moved off track, as it may be. (And I have been using my 'rose-colored glasses' a lot lately. Sigh.)

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  3. Excellent one, Julian! I think your closing observation about rose-tinted specs is a gem.

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    1. Hi Richard, thanks for your comment and taking the time to drop by, appreciated as always.

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  4. This is something to remember... if we forget these days how can we understand today?

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  5. I liked that comment, too, Julian. I can imagine what a three day week did back then. I also remember that back then one could buy a lot of groceries with $35, and my mortgage was $200 a month. Sigh. THOSE days are gone.

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  6. Heaven knows we all need rose-tinted specs when viewing the news of the current day. This was a great capture of a time gone by.

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  7. It was a cold bleak winter indeed, Your poem captures the essence, the difference between the haves and the have nots. A superb write.

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  8. Your poem here read like a nursery rhyme. It was such fun reading through it. I liked it! thanks for sharing it with us.

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  9. You imbued this piece with a great 'Story Teller' vibe, that had me leaning in. Awesome job on this!

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  10. Love how you bring this to life Superb write I love every line of it

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  11. Well told. Sounds like something Billy Bragg might sing!

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