Children are shrinking before us

by Owen Gallagher

And when they cut budgets again, for families and schools,
we on the opposition benches said: ‘Surely
they can’t cut them anymore?’
And they did.

Children’s clothes began to hang on them
as if they were passed down too soon.
We stood by and watched
their future shrink.

Home didn’t fit.
School didn’t fit.
The curriculum didn’t fit.
We spoke out but that didn’t fit.

We lobbied members of the government.
And said, again:
‘Surely they can’t ...’
But they did.

When the waiter in the Commons restaurant
brought the menu
we forgot about the children
and tucked in.

Your Country Needs You!

by Owen Gallagher

We answered the Government’s call to keep
the profit flag flying,
the currency stable.

Tut-tutted at having to Zoom from our laptops
and mask up
to queue for a latte.

We created more offshore companies
to redistribute wealth
to ourselves, resisted

daubing a sign on the door of the infected.
A mass culling
took place.

We made millions during the pandemic.
We thanked our Head Boys,
now Government Ministers, for that.