Category / Paul Anderson poems

by smeddum

Say No More to Nuclear Spending. Scotland Needs Its independence!

Say No More to Nuclear Spending. Scotland Needs Its independence!

Tories tell lies.
They lay them thick and we are supposed to swallow it.
There is no magic money tree for health and social security.
May is in the ditch with Brexit floundering even for the rich.
She can’t escape the Irish border and EU demands for law and order.

Now the Tories are war, war, war.
They have no truck with jaw jaw-jaw.
A hundred million for new bombs while homeless people are needing homes.
They want to stir pro-war hysteria
With their sick complicit media.

Clearly, we need opposition, not a cowardly disposition.
We need people on the street.
We need leaders that will take the heat.
Let each conscience have this insistence.
We shall build a bold resistance

by Paul Anderson March 2018

by smeddum

Save the Charlie Reid Centre! Save Scotland! by Paul Anderson (2014)

Save the Charlie Reid Centre! Save Scotland!
by Paul Anderson

Oh Scotia! What is freedom worth?
if it does not defend those of lowly birth
Those disabled in body or mind
where nature’s path went so unkind

Remember Rabbies ode to the mouse,
and wha forgets the bonnet louse.
Poets now sign our petition.
For they know fu’ weel the Scot’s tradition

And those in unions come to our aid,
for there is reason to be afraid.
for if they get us one by one,
in the end they ‘ll soon be none

Bring back the spirit of Jimmy Reid,
Wha’s tae say he’s truly deid.
I saw him stauning beside auld Joe hill.
organising what they cannot kill

The mettle of the Scottish people
whose anger has begun to ripple,
‘gainst Tory cuts and new “Labour” spin.
Our heritage is the Will to Win!

by smeddum

One Splendid Easter Day

The Resurrection is oft times in my heart

It always means a great new start

But this year it is even better

My love is renewed and knows no fetter

I met with her at the CCA

They brought Paella on a tray

We made a plan for what to see

A Spanish film at the GFT

The Movie had a Beatles theme

To meet John Lennon was a dream

Strawberry Fields is the greatest song

Under my breath I sang along

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We spoke about a way to flower

The politics of taking power

About our centre under threat

Of everything we dared to get

Yet there is more to romantic love

Because peace is not just dove to dove

This rising is so spread around

We listen to each whispered sound

A resurrection in each heart,

looking for a place to start

striving forth to make things better

A boundless love that knows no fetter.

Paul

Anderson 2015

by smeddum

Scotland Arise!

Scotland Arise!  by Paul Anderson Nov 2017

Land is land and oil is oil
It should belong to those who toil
Scotland arise!

Fair is foul and  foul is fair.
Britiannia is without a care
The empire lost , so sick ,so lame.
in their sights the poor they blame.

chorus

Theresa May says that we are one
this sinking ship has long begun
to drown the old ,the ill .the young.
and whip in shape the bottom rung

chorus

Freedom must reverse this boat
Put in place a second vote.
To take us to a higher place
Honoured by the human race.

chorus

Scotland arise! Scotland arise!
Scotland arise!

The Tories ,Libdems thugs together
New Labour too , wi spin and blether.
and we need Scotland
not just heather.

Scotland Arise!
chorus

by smeddum

Wee Jimmy’s Union Song

Wee Jimmy’s Union Song

I had a zero contract job
Delivering pizzas for ten bob
I left it for a cup of tea.
Now they are gonna fire me

I got sanctioned for six weeks
Missed my appointment by two tweaks
It could have been a day and a half
Cause my face got stuck and I could n’t laugh

I was in Stobhill’s insane department
waiting five months for a new apartment
Just beside my favourite pub
My friends so near to get a sub.

I drank myself quite close to death
Found it ruinous to my health.
Is this a way to destroy the poor?
I can’t take it any more!

So I joined Unite the Union
As our rights have been sold for bullion
The community branch in Glasgow town
We fight to bring the system down.
by Paul Anderson 2015

by smeddum

Black Triangle

Black Triangle for Disabled Rights poem by Paul Anderson June 2014

Black Triangle
“Labour” brought in Atos to humiliate, rip a hole in the welfare state.
Thousands dead within three full moons.
Now the Tories police our protests with their kettling goons.
Black Triangle
The Nazis made the disabled wear it on their shirt.
This new holocaust is out to hurt, the disabled the unemployed and the under-waged
A political circus, the bankers have staged.
Black Triangle
What we want is liberty, treated with respect and equality.
They real scroungers are those on top.
They are murderers we have to stop.
Black Triangle
Now we wear the Black Triangle with Pride
showing that we won’t hide.
From those who stigmatise
Tell us lies.
Who are blind and indifferent to our cries.
Black Triangle

 

by smeddum

Don’t Cry for me! Cool Britannia

Don’t Cry for me
Cool Britannia

It won’t be easy, you’ll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I shred a tear after all that I’ve done
You won’t believe me, all you will see is a girl you once knew
Although she’s dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Couldn’t stay all my life down at heel

Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
So I chose serfdom, running around privatising everything
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to

Don’t cry for me, Cool Britannia
The truth is, I never left you
All through my wild days, my mad existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your distance
Cool Britannia
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I always invited them in
Though it seemed to the world the things I never desired
I love illusions, they are the solutions I promised them to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you, and hope you love me
Don’t cry for me,

Don’t cry for me, Cool Britannia
The truth is, I never left you
All through my wild days, my mad existence
I was a Blairite
Don’t keep your distance
Have I said too much?
There’s nothing more I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me to know
That every word is true

by smeddum

London Calling

London Calling (in memory of Joe Strummer RIP)

London calling to all Scottish towns
War is declared and a battle come down
London calling to make you vote ‘no’
Know your place as we tell you so!

London calling, now don’t look at us
Phoney impartiality has bitten the dust
London is calling , see we aint got no swing.
Cept for the ring of the truncheon swing.

Indyref 2 is coming. “The Sun” is zooming in,
More lies expected but they are getting so thin
The BBC is spinning but I have no fear
For London is drowning and I have got a euro.

London calling to their imitation zone
Forget about them brother we can go it alone
London calling, these zombies of death,
So quit holding out and try another breath,

London calling and YES I was there too
For while you were talking
We soon found you out
London calling with another big lie
Scotland’s too poor for you to get by

Indyref 2 is coming. “The Sun” is zooming in,
More lies expected but they are getting so thin
A Nuclear trident but I have no fear
For London is drowning and I have got a euro.

Now get this.
London Calling YES I was there too
And you know what we said, well, none of it was true.
London calling at the top of the dial
And after all this will you give me a smile
never felt so much like, like, a like a……

by Paul Anderson Dec 2016

by smeddum

All Jazzed up and Nowhere to Go

All Jazzed up and Nowhere to Go

Once I was a millionaire
It was a dream, it was a prayer
It was so great I now could gig
Play a full score with my jazz rig

I even bought a concert hall
gave out tickets to one and all
No one turned up every time
Is free jazz music such a crime?

There was Oswald on the drums
We played together with his chums
Johnny had a fine trombone
Sarah would sing the saddest song

Once we put ourselves on-line
Gave our pearls to the swine
But we never hit the news
Only had a hundred views

Then I made a TV ad
My million spent I was rather sad
But we always play jazz blues
In front of angry movie queues

Paul Anderson April 2015

by smeddum

A Farewell to Erin

A Farewell to Erin
an hour is a lang, lang time
when sweet it is remembered
a tune that fill’d the mountain pass
the moment that we enter’d
chorus

Though devious pleasures can be sought
and certus there are plenty
I’m happier with a single thought
happier far wi’ twenty

the weary warld is owre too sma’
the seasons mair the pity
A smile o’glee and enchantment
amidst the dole dank city

chorus
Though devious pleasures can be sought
and certus there are plenty
I’m happier with a single thought
happier far wi’ twenty

A poets blessed wi’many things
but canny count on money
nae spoken word within ma dream
I wish tae take that journey

Chorus
Though devious pleasures can be sought
and certus there are plenty
I’m happier with a single thought
happier far wi’ twenty

Now the transient tune must fade
and memories live to ponder
to tap the well of life’s long spring
and lea’e us free tae wonder

by smeddum

Glasgow Arise!

Glasgow Arise! (Tune : The West’s asleep)

Here we are in Glasgow Town
A city now of world renown
So many eyes have seen the Clyde
La Passionara’s arms so open wide

Even though she lost her gun.
She stands beneath the Glasgow sun.
A tribute to the Spanish dead.
Our Glasgow was so proud and red.

When Glasgow workers  took George Square
Our revolution was born there.
The leader was the bold Maclean.
Remembered now though not in vain.

When a hundred thousand marched against the war
As Blair’s lies we did deplore.
When the Poll Tax we did dispute
It gave our city a new repute.

So here’s to you, the River Clyde
We shall breach the old divide.
With Green and Blue, a simple game.
Devoid of every violent shame.

So Glasgow arise to meet the new,
As schools are closing from our view.
The very first round of the fight.
To save our city from dreadful night.

Paul Anderson
July 2009

by smeddum

Ode to my little planet

Through the vastness of the universe, I come to settle on you

like a loved one, another alien, a target of my dreams,

whizzing on the electric giant milky way,

sneezing out yon satellites and rockets.

You would think we owned the place.

We the mere borrowers of time.

I wander with you, I spin with you

Alas like Gulliver, among the little people,

I cast my net far and wide.

As much of humanity has Died, unnecessarily.

Here in my lofty tower of tears.

I bemoan the world of Greed.

I grasp for Thor’s hammer

only to find thats been stolen too.

By the State Circus, where most of my allies have fled.

Sometimes I wonder why they ran away.

Could it be that their heads are full of mince?

Or some other form of lacklustre  nonsense.

Were they to mention the disappearing bees,

or even the vanishing wild salmon

all so lost they cannot find their home

Are they too so affected by electrosmog they refuse to think?

And by this omission, no longer are the opposition,

but a gang of yesterday’s men and women

fondling  Liberty.

Are our leaders heads all gone

dancing with the dying swan, playing cat or mouse,

Or are they like the unmasked bat

cheating to find out where they are at?

It would make one cry.

Aye! Even Shout!

What glory can there be?

Time warped  in history.

Formal greetings now the whole of politics

”Goodbye Mother Earth !” They kiss their asses.

As pollinators at peril pass a death sentence on the human race

Paul Anderson  July 1st 2008