written and posted by members of Lancashire Dead Good Poets' Society

Thursday, 6 May 2021

Claims

 Not much to say on this one but I do have an appropriate poem, written when I was a hard working single Mum of two. 



We all know one

There’s a man who lives at 23
who’s just been getting Sky TV
Sports Channels 1 and 2 and 3
his kids all kept by DWP
 
His car is ‘disabiliy’
on loan from Motability
tax exempt and free insurance
AA on call for reassurance
 
He doesn’t pay his rent – it’s free
his council tax is courtesy
of honest folk like you and me
the ones who work for dignity
 
I see him walk his dogs each day
I saw him only yesterday
at a car boot sale, with a lot to say
about clearing his mother’s stuff out of the way
 
He’s rented her house for a tidy sum
and is taking a holiday in the sun
in his touring van with his girlfriend’s mum
she can babysit while they have fun.
 
The pair look like Wayne and Waynetta
their idea of god food is Vienetta
he might look for work – if his back gets better
but gives him jip when the weather’s wetter.
 
Well it rains here every other day
so a three day week just wouldn’t pay
with a stick and a limp he makes his way
still he won parent’s race at school sports day
 
He smiled at me when he boasted that
What a rat!
A low life, shirking lump of fat
I felt so mad, I almost spat.
 
I heard him laughing hysterically
getting his kicks making fun of me
‘cause I’ve worked all my life
to keep him for free.
 
My ideology’s strange to him
working ethics – keeping in trim
paying my way and staying in
saving up for everything.

My family philosophy
(between you and me)
Don’t get mad, get even. He’ll see
One simple call – anonymously
Now they’re watching on CCTV

Thanks for reading. Adele 





4 comments:

Steve Rowland said...

Don't let the bastards get away with it! That includes the sneaky evasive rich as well as the shirking poor. The welfare state gets abused at both extremes by people without principles.

Jay Daley said...

I enjoyed your condemnatory poem (didn't like the picture though). I actually don't know anyone who cheats the benefits system but I'm sure if I did I'd make that anonymous call too. 👍

Adele said...

Hi Jay,

The photo is from the comedy show Little Britain. The guy in the wheelchair often gets up and runs around.

Martin Brewster said...

Interesting and amusing. I liked your indignant poem (not read anything with an aaaa rhyme scheme for a while) and laughed at Vienetta being the food of the Gods :)