THE GENTLEMEN IN WESTMINSTER (weekly poem)

THE GENTLEMEN IN WESTMINSTER

The House of Commons votes to bomb Syria.

The gentlemen in Westminster,

And gentlewomen too;

Have sent ‘The Few’ to Syria,

To do, “What they must do”.

There could be British casualties,

When others take their aim;

But to the brave in Parliament,

War’s just another game.

There’ll be “Collateral Damage” when,

Our bombs fall from the sky;

But only in explosions here,

Do real civilians die.

But fighting could be over soon,

When all I.S. have fled;

As seventy-odd-thousand troops, (1)

Lie in the P.M.’s head.

With carriers to come on stream,

At sometime in five years; (2)

Such good news helps to reassure,

The British public’s fears.

And Britain hopes to ally with,

The Kurds and claim the day; (3)

By editing Miss Muffet’s rhyme,

To get their Kurds and way!

(1) Cameron’s imaginary friendly Jihadists.

  

(2) Britain’s only aircraft carriers are both expected to

come into service in 2020.

(3) Britain hopes to join the Kurds in routing I.S.

© Richard Layton