Militant Thistles
polemical poetry to prickle the politics of "permanent austerity"
thistles stretch their prickly arms afar
Jim Bennett
advice to miners on strike (Christmas 1984)
take a newspaper spread open at the centre
roll it into a tube along its long axis
hold the shape in place with some tape
next cut from one end to half way down the tube
cut down the tube as many times as you can
when this is done carefully tease the centre of the tube
start to pull it out make sure it does not unravel
it will open up into the shape of a lovely Christmas tree
secure the end in a plant pot with some sand or soil
take some old match and ciggy boxes
wrap in coloured paper with some string tied in a bow
to put around the tree like presents
other decorations can be made using ingenuity
old magazines and newspapers
colourful cereal boxes if you have any
here is a clock I can dangle from
a freed slave would make a wallet or box
to kept their freedom document safe
it was often metal and secure
because if the paper it contained was lost
the person could be made a slave again
like an unbranded steer that wanders
finds its way onto someone’s land
gets claimed as their property
human rights and freedoms are like that
but the box we make to hold them
must be iron heavy enough to stop
anyone who tries to steal them
Jim Bennett, has written 74 books and numerous chapbooks and pamphlets in a 48 year career as a poet. Jim lives near Liverpool in the UK and tours giving readings of his work throughout the year. He is widely published and has won many competitions and awards for poetry and performance. He runs www.poetrykit.org one of the world’s most successful internet sites for poets.