Recall To Parliament '93 Poem by Gillian.E. Shaw

Learned, lofty lawgivers glimpsed rose clad hatted
black velvet mourning and beneficiary,
among the artful, ambitious and astute.
All recalled. Spoiled statesmen, gorged on expenses;
slick, sly, subtle the schemers of wilful woe.

Renegades opined the outsider was either
a lapsed catholic or Madam Defarge. Shame
returned a smile for envy was hers best hidden:
Yet those who took the floor soiled, defiled and
thwarted the unpretentious powerless poor.

When eye saw all there was to see, together then
in search of England's painted history
canvas vast past wife who begged on bended knee
a king had given his head hacked off; hung high in
corridors where the profane practiced power.

Thus rent apart on leaving; recollection
of what had been years before when majesty
boldly strode through miners ignorant misery
rag wrapped, wooden clogs, doffed caps; grateful
for mugs of piping hot tea, pockets devoid of coin.

Shoulder still next to a future Chancellor
in the House of Commons bar, as across her
countenance a brave smile spread though view unchanged:
'Dissenter' she thought 'for those who take the floor
know nothing at all of the powerless poor '.

For John Carlisle and Barry Simmons.

January 2006
France.

The Future Chancellor in this poem became Prime Minister yesterday 24/6/07.
She who wore a black velvet hat with a red rose was a Lone Parent on Income Support.

Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister 11/5/10.
I shed a tear because he seemed to understand social injustice and poverty.