The Welfare State is My Best Friend and My Worst Enemy

Catch me kicking and screaming if I ever have to leave this place

The Welfare Estate

Or is it?

What are we supposed to do?

When they burn our homes to the ground?

How can you justify this as a mistake?

A mistake?

In the 6th richest country?

There should be no mistakes.

Especially when lives are at stake.

Memories are

Better than thinking about leaving home

Watching reality TV

To escape reality

Big bums, big boobs

A very little collection of books

But does that really matter?

Our shoes don’t come off in this house

Leave them on

It’s okay

No rules apply here

Nos cannisters all over the road

The curtains are closed.

Foot cramp in the cold.

 “It’s not that bad, you could be in ‘AFRICA’!”

I’m not upset.

I’m a lucky one actually.

 

Internalised anger. Internalised self-hatred

Which manifests in self-deprecation

Which grounds you.

Gives you something in common. With people who have

 

nothing in common. Except from being

Broke

Broken shelves

The light doesn’t work

I know an apprentice electrician

But he knows my ex. And fancies me.

And he won’t do it for free, anyway.

Memories

are.

To be shared.

 

Being angry at my parents…

…For not owning a corner sofa

2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner.

It’s really not that bad.

The Welfare State is My Best Friend

There for me when I need it the most

But will dob me in to ‘the boss’ at any given moment

Like Karen the PA

Clothed me, fed me.

Bought my bus pass to school

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

But I still hate you.

Everything about you.

Like my worst enemy at school

The snitch

The compulsive liar

The bully

How can you say you care about people’s lives?

When 72 people died, because of your neglect.

Corporate manslaughter

Why is the word corporate even in there?

When this was about Housing.

Homes.

Housing should never be corporate. sold for profit

Or neglected for profit

How could you?

I trusted you, best friend.

 

 

 

 

if God was an Englishman | poetry series (7)

No God but Good