Socialist Sonnet No. 164

Conference Party Season

 

Government and opposition benches

Deserted: Ministers and their shadows

Have left and the cogs of government slow.

Called up to their political trenches

Delegates - left, right and centre – gather

For their celebrations of platitudes

And misdirection, pompous beatitudes

Of concern and tele-prompted blather.

Jam for tomorrow will be generous,

But jam for today is more thinly spread

Or even denied to those on dry bread,

Who should be thankful and not make a fuss.

Broad discussions and debates are arranged;

Then it’s all over, and nothing has changed.

 

D. A.