Where Were Your Placards and Banners?

Where Were Your Placards and Banners?

why are people angry now
why were they not angry then
with services cut
and people forced into –
simplistic means of production
with no rel value attached to their being
with the state,
conspicuous in its absence
in its role of moral guardian
with its lac of investment in people
and the acceptance that migration
which enriches us both in financial terms –
and culturally, varying the fabric of our society

why are people angry now
why were people not taking to the streets
with their placards and banners
when teachers could not teach
because the funding could never reach
when our police are cut to the bone
and can no longer police their beat
when privatised prisons –
and social care on its social justice knees
when there are real world nhs cuts
and students saddled with debt and fees
why were the people not angry then?
they are angry now, because, i note,
they want,
that chance for one more vote
but for some time, people, real people
have been hit hard, struggling to float


James Garratt – Sunday 2nd June 2019