Gordon Scapens
Party Conference Song
That song sounds familiar
just run it by me again,
words playing with ambiguity,
so cat- and- mouse.
Notes twist, turn, circle
and keep us guessing,
U turns are begging
listeners to reverse belief.
A chorus of excuses
for difficult questions,
an insistent beat marching time
into uncertain philosophies.
Yes, I know it well,
it’s called Politics
and its melody is arranged
by a conscience with a limp.
Versed in a language
that will protect mistakes,
the message that remains
is to hoodwink the electorate.
Voters are fooled by the showmanship.
The cause of nearly all woes
is the stupendous capacity
for believing the incredible.
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Gordon Scapens was born in Liverpool in 1934. He is widely published over many years in numerous magazines and journals including The Journal, Acumen, Pennine Platform, High Window, Pulsar, Dream Catcher, Cannon’s Mouth, Frogmore Papers, Interpreters House, London Grip, Morphrog and DREICH. Refuses to take himself seriously. Lives in a suburb of Preston with his wife, who’s friend, critic, muse and editor. Plays acoustic guitar averagely to her singing.