I’ve got a bit of a different poem for you this week – the text was taken from a Commons Chamber debate about the Crystal Palace in 1851, which you can read here if you’re curious. It’s been switched around and altered quite a bit, but it makes for an intriguing poem in my opinion, and I hope you think so too! This is another poem that I wrote for university, but I don’t think I’m going to submit it anywhere, so it can live here on the blog instead.
Honourable Nonsense
- They Set Up Their Baubles
Enemies of objects; enemies of advancement;
enemies of self-supporting principles—
they were public property, maintained by Her Majesty.
The poor should be fully remunerated for their labour;
they had wrung the shillings out of the hands of the poor.
Cheap and nasty maintenance would ruin them,
a common nuisance, perpetuating such unmitigated
humbug, decided opposition to the Motion.
- Row On Row, Invite Us In
He regretted the commencement of the session,
delayed his Motion, and shared the inhabitants
of the metropolis with a number of gentlemen.
The poorer classes would not be benefited;
the poorest classes had signed numerous petitions.
They are praying earnestly
without the head of Government,
for duty owing by the higher classes.
- And Knock Them Down, One By One
Men high in rank had learned not to trust
envy or jealousy on the part of the poor.
Injurious to public morals, the poor would herd themselves
elsewhere, not meeting the upper classes.
It would exist in all their recollections as an imperishable monument,
and he had misrepresented the glibly renumerated learned Judge.
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Oskar Leonard 