What did you expect?

by Chris Bryant

Not inconvenient blizzards bleak

Or frosts to hoar your cheek.

Not passengers without a flight

Or trains congealed all night.

Not journeys inched down icy hills

Or record nightly chills.

Not politicians rosy-cheeked

With eagerness to please.

Not agonising Liberals

Contorted by real power,

Their Tory friends exasperate

By lenient Kenneth Clarke.

The cynic always love to know

That he was right to doubt.

So he has cause to sneer and pout

And say ‘I told you so’.

Too swiftly, we expect the worst

And barely see the joy at first.

The same is true of Parliament.

Yes, we are tribal, venal, vain,

But decent people, in the main.

These truths need our acknowledgement:

We only briefly strut and fret;

Opponents have their honour yet.

And yet the indices of happiness

For us are as for all:

A present prized,

A partner’s hand,

A friend surprised,

A journey planned,

A niece all smiles,

A thank you note,

A fond recall,

A verse that’s a success.


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5 Responses to “What did you expect?”

  1. Harry Cole says:

    Amazing.

    Thank you.

  2. Boris Backer says:

    I’m actually a bit emotional?

  3. Guido Fawkes says:

    There was a young man called Chris
    Who instead of going for a piss
    Took a picture of himself in the loos
    Alas for him, his pic went in,
    The next Sunday’s News of the Screws

  4. Matt says:

    I’ve read better poetry from school kids

  5. FonyBlair says:

    Is this for real?

    You should be in panto!

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