Poetry

It goes on one at a time,
it starts when you care to act,
it starts when you do it again after they said no,
it starts when you say we and know who you mean,
and each day you mean one more.

Marge Piercy

Tuesday, 29 August 2017 19:48

Grenfell: 'social murder' is that crime's name

Written by David Betteridge

in Poetry

A Blaze That Did Not Need To Burn by David Betteridge I am nothing and I should be everything... - Karl Marx The best part of the building was the people in it. They made of its doomed fabric, homes: homes that for many, at a stroke, in an upward…

Saturday, 26 August 2017 15:38

Grenfell: for the victims

Written by Chris Norris

in Poetry

Author's Note: Joyce Grenfell (1910-1979) was a British actor, singer and stage entertainer who specialised in comic monologues and achieved huge popularity in the decades following World War Two. Among her best-known imaginary monologue-speakers was a teacher of very young children, among them George who was more than once asked…

Grenfell Tower Joyce Grenfell George Osborne

Wednesday, 02 August 2017 06:00

Pardon

Written by Sheree Mack

in Poetry

Pardon by Sheree Mack The story of Sarah Baartman is the story of the African people....It is the story of the loss of our ancient freedom...(and) of our reduction to the state of objects who could be owned, used and discarded by others - Thabo Mbeki, 2002. Pardon I human is…

Sarah Baartman

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 26 July 2017 06:00

More than ‘Rise like lions’: Shelley beyond The Mask of Anarchy

in Poetry

Written by Mike Sanders

Mike Sanders writes about Shelley 'the Chartist poet' as a catalyst for working class creativity, how he envisioned a communist society, and how the privileged classes refused to hear the revolutionary meanings of his poems. One of the unexpected features of the recent General Election campaign was the ‘co-opting’ of…

shelley jeremy corbyn Peterloo

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Saturday, 22 July 2017 06:00

Justice 4 Grenfell

in Poetry

Written by Zita Holbourne

Justice 4 Grenfell by Zita Holbourne So many lives that never needed to end Trapped in a fire box, no way to defend From the fury of flames spreading rapidlyImagine how frightening this must be They built ghettos in the sky to hide us away Boxed in on top of…

Grenfell Tower Justice4Grenfell

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 21 July 2017 18:01

Aftersong

in Poetry

Written by Robert Farrell

After-Song by Robert Farrell One hears and moves toward it. One moves, but is Not in it, what does not Keep but flowers forth. We aren’t it. It is What lets the sky appear, The sunrise rise to site a circle in Hills whose rocks refuse toRecognize themselves in us.…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Thursday, 20 July 2017 21:34

one block of council flats left

in Poetry

Written by Martin Hayes

one block of council flats left by Martin Hayes just one block of council flats remains in this area where we work our magic in allocating out jobs to couriersso that multinationals and £500-an-hour law firms and hedge-fund managers who look after billions of pounds can remain healthy and strong…

Sunday, 09 July 2017 14:42

The Miner

Written by Glenn Bradford

in Poetry

The Miner by Glenn Bradford Still dreams of the pit, does old Derek.Gripping the duvet in great calloused handsas if ready to swing at the coalface of the night. Stripped to the waist. A vivid reprise.Terry, Taylor and The Bull, headlamps in hand,anticipating the familiar clatter of a closing cage…

Durham Miners' Gala

Sunday, 09 July 2017 06:00

Seeing Red

Written by Jon Tait

in Poetry

Seeing Red by Jon Tait If it wasn’t hung from the ceiling in a museum,we’d paint Jeremy Corbyn’s faceon the red Lodge banneralongside Keir Hardie and Nye Bevan. We’re still going Forward with Socialismand the colours never fade;still red as the Manchester United shirtthat Bobby Charlton wore, red as the…

Durham Miners' Gala jeremy corbyn

Tuesday, 04 July 2017 15:30

Bread and Roses Poetry Award 2017

Written by Mike Quille

in Poetry

The Bread and Roses Poetry Award, sponsored by Unite in partnership with Culture Matters, was instituted this year. The idea is to stimulate the writing of poetry about working class lives and communities, by people who otherwise might not write or enter competitions. We're very pleased that it has been…

Unite Fred Voss

Sunday, 25 June 2017 21:18

A worker reads and asks questions

Written by Jenny Farrell

in Poetry

The recent election results showed a stunning level of support for Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party’s anti-austerity policies. Working people are clearly starting to ask more questions about who exactly produces the wealth in class-divided societies, including our own. Jenny Farrell’s father made this brilliant translation of one of…