The Voice came tentatively to the stage

considered, loved.

It was needed but fragile.

The lights were bright.

A murmur from the audience

And at centerstage was the Voice.

Time ticked by slowly.

Tick, Tick

The murmur somewhat louder now

Tick Tick

anger palpable.

Many groups once divided, now together with burning Indignation

glaring at that stage.

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You're aching for peace

I'm hurting too

Let the arguing cease

There's polling to do

You look for meaning

I offer a word

No sense for your gleaning

I'm not sure they heard

You called referendum

I thought it was flawed

A meaningless thrum

On democracy's chord

You were not aware and

I never knew

That voting out fanned

A nationalist view

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In fifteen eighty eight the Spanish navy came to fight

To claim the crown King Philip thought was his god-given right

Now millions of us fly to Spanish islands in the sun

The wars are long forgotten, the Armada is long gone

So sing for Europe, sing for peace, and sing to make amends

Let’s raise a glass of sangria to all our Spanish friends

The French are nearer neighbou...

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Attrition

Sat here thinking

with chaos all around…

In this together,

family and friends,

some for

some against.

All affected

by the outcome.

All committed.

Sat here thinking

with chaos all around…

Europe needs us.

Allies need us

to face this thing

together and united

for our futures

and our children’s futures.

Sat here ...

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I held my breath taut
as she swayed on the knife edge
arms calming dipping, rising
dignified reslilience 
I blew her my love and fell to sleep

as father turned on son

as daughter turned on mother

as neighbour turned on neighbour

as she fell

Rule Britannia?  

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ECCLES CAKES

Referendum what a bore

The man in the street will still be poor

And the rich will be richer than before

The press will descend on Manchester

And what she declares the world will swallow

The public’s chance to change tomorrow

Leave or stay? Remain or exit?

United Europe? Or Sporting Brexit?

The lying deceitful corrupt elite

Boring yawning I’m snoring ...

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Look, I like having legal rights; to be a citizen not just a subject,
but I’m not without doubts about this great European project.
No, I don’t fear drowning in seas of asylum seekers some’d prefer out of my backyard
but the far right’s rise darkens my night skies and I find some truths really are quite hard.
Yes, the status quo is twisted so some not so nice people do too well off it,
b...

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Between A Rock & A Hard Place

Trust me

said the man I didn’t trust

Stay in

every part of me

is against

what he stands for

but he has support

from the people

that I trust

Trust me

said the man I didn’t trust

Get out

every part of me

is against

what he stands for

but my heart aches

for what I believe

to be right

Don’t ...

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A native American, Hawkeye the Noo

Emigrated to Scotland in '72

He loved deep fried Mars bars and the odd Irn Bru

But now he knows not what to do

The mountains and plains were a wonderful yardstick

As his ancestors populated desert to Arctic

But Hawkeye he settled for a wigwam in Partick

But now he knows not what to do

He's always been proud to call Scotland his h...

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