The Friendly (A Yorkshire Village) Club Poem by C Richard Miles

The Friendly sports and social club is shut.
Has competition raised its ugly head
And burst, in silence, scheming from its hut
To banish fellow-feeling to its shed?

No, blind ambition’s not the deadly knife
That struck at fond affection’s tender throat;
The Friendly club has sacrificed its life
To fragile economics’ sinking boat.

For credit crunch has come and clamped down hard
And into enterprise has sunk its teeth
Combined with smoking bans, the way is barred
To paths for business ventures to succeed.

And so the Friendly sports and social club
Has now called for last orders on itself
And drinkers all must seek another pub
In distant, thriving Halifax or Shelf.