Here There Be Demons

there is a small terraced house
on the dark side of Benefit Street
where a mother lies with cancer
and a child has nothing to eat
where a father kicks anything that moves
whether wife or child or dog
then drowns himself in self pity
and rancid numbing grog

when he leaves he leaves a hole
as wide as any pit
and a family who cannot cope
without their benefit
it pays a pittance for their hurts
and helps to keep them fed
a little heat a little light
a roof over their head.

the TV in the corner
spews its Tory game
it makes them hide from neighbours
to camouflage their shame
they merge into the wallpaper
never to be seen
they become mere shadows
of all that they have been.

some bitch with too much bitching
wants to paint them all as scum
for having tattooed arms
and dogs in their home made slum
while she sits as judge and jury
sipping room temperature champagne
they feed themselves at food banks
and survive on out of date pain

so when you read your Daily Mail
and absorb its poisoned views
be thankful that your job is safe,
that you can afford new shoes.
the TV in the corner
is feeding you with shit
In the name of entertainment.
so where’s the benefit?

don’t tar the weak and needy
with your damned righteous brush
show them some humanity
don’t look to blame and crush
their hopes and dreams of betterment
because you have been fed
by right wing program makers
who remain morally dead

no one on that side of the street
will be voting for the Tories
so it’s safe for the government
to concoct their little stories.
shame on you for falling for
the demons that they create
in the vulnerable non-working class
they’ve blinded you with hate