In response to mr_soul, I've also written a poem about Mrs Thatcher. I have tried to get inside her head and understand where the values she pursued to the extreme might have come from.
THE GROCER'S DAUGHTER
Here, in among the cartons and the crates
crouched in the stockroom, how the grocer’s daughter
understands the price of everything
and the value of nothing! She has learned
who are the good customers, who smiling, drop
their shiny shillings in her outstretched palm
and to spot those who, in daylight plain
will pilfer from the shelves without a thought
or, ingratiating, ask for tick
against next payday. Then she sees them go
straight from the grocer’s to the betting shop!
They have no thought for how the grocer keeps
food in the mouths of his own family
Her dad, brown-overalled and dirty-palmed
negotiates by phone with his suppliers.
They’d like to hold the shopkeeper to ransom
which isn’t to be tolerated. This
is business, and each honest businessman
entitled to his profit. Margaret thinks
that freeing up the market leads to choice;
and fairer prices for the general public!
To live the good life, one must be in charge
of one’s own destiny. To change your mind
is just a sign of weakness. So, stand firm!
Defend your castle as a soldier would.
A daughter is as strong as any son.
If Dad would only let her take the reins
this grocer’s shop would be a bigger business.
But, that will never be, so she will find
a greater enterprise. What’s wrong with that?
Britain is a nation of shopkeepers.
|
the best man in the Cabinet
Written by fellpony (1580 comments posted) 27th March 2008 | | A good insight, I think. I wonder if some of the lines in the third stanza would bear readjustment into a different order? I found the last line jarred in its present position (but is not irrelevant, so would not suggest removing it). |
Written by Veronica_Milvus (595 comments posted) 27th March 2008 | Thank you.
You're right, in that the last line, being a quote that I couldn't resist shoehorning in, does not really fit the metre. But it is by way of a punchline, so I would prefer not to move it. So I was wondering, would this be better:
We're a nation of shopkeepers, after all.
Although the stress on "shopkeepers" isn't quite iambic, I might get away with it? | In charge of your own destiny
Written by Josie (2732 comments posted) 27th March 2008 | | My mother, aged 79, slipped and fell over backwards onto a stone floor and split the back of her head wide open. After lying in a pool of blood for many hours she was rushed into hospital and was unconscious for the following week, we were told she had to be moved out of this hospital because the last ward had been shut, and there was nowhere to put her, because Mrs Thatcher told them to do it. How could my poor mother, who had worked hard all her life, paid all her taxes to the state, contributed to the National Health scheme, now take care of her own destiny? There comes a time in everyone's life that we need others in the society to help us. She was turned out of the hospital at a time she needed care most of all, and into private care which cost us, then (1991), £250 per week. I noticed that when Maggie felt a little unwell last week, the hospital found her a bed for the night. Strange, isn't it?nullnull |
Written by Josie (2732 comments posted) 27th March 2008 | | Sorry, but don't know what the "null null" means or where it has come from. Probably Mrs T knows. |
Written by Veronica_Milvus (595 comments posted) 27th March 2008 | My point re "one's own destiny" was that she held great store by self-reliance - a traditional Tory virtue. She had so little time for those who were unable or unwilling to do that, that the devil was allowed to take the hindmost.
Tackling over-powerful unions was the only thing I would give her much credit for. The French economy illustrates what happens if you don't do that, and Britain in the 70s was much more militant than modern France.
Some of her other policies, the poll tax for example, were utterly indefensible, and besides, there was not an ounce of compassion in her. |
Written by Fledermaus (3238 comments posted) 27th March 2008 | The same old debate: Free marked or a planned economy? It's obvious where Maggie Thatcher stood. Here we have had our wave of privatizations too, with all devastating results. Makes one wonder: How can they sell what is not theirs? Didn't all these things belong to the people? So how could they be sold without asking every single citizen?
If someone worked hard to earn something, no-one should take it away, but similarly if someone has been given it only to care for, how can they sell it? Imagine you bringing your pets to your neighbour when you go on holiday and when you return they are sold...
I usually think that the less one hears of a politician, the better he is at his job... |
Written by Phil (6645 comments posted) 27th March 2008 | I liked this (but thought you were easy on her). I liked how the last verse ended - but what do I know? A nice snap shot of a possible past. Good how you didn't give her any little girl cutesiness. I think it more likely she was born of the devil's arse and will return there with her pal, Pinochet, when her time is up. (to prepare a spot for Tony?)
Phil
| Not all that much difference
Written by patterjack (1159 comments posted) 30th June 2008 | ... as the whole of politics swings to the right.
Personally I could not stand the thought of the woman--still can't , and our own Oz politics are bugging me badly with their privatisation lark .
patterjack |
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