A Cry from An Ordinary Man

I’m just an Ordinary Man, nothing special, nothing grand ( You made that judgement or them?)

I’ve had to work for everything I own ( Should be your birthright! Come to think of it we’ve all had to work, but I see what you mean maybe they inherited everything like on a silver plate?)

I never asked for a lot, I was happy with what I’d got ( I’m thinking God will respect that choice- but what of the story about the Talents maybe you never heard that one)

Enough to keep my family and my home (You saw this as your priority. Now’t wrong with that more should be like it less damaged people around! Hey! I can tell you though they envy you your cosiness!)

Now they say that times are hard and they’ve handed me my cards ( Don’t believe it they’ve something else in mind)

They say there’s not enough work to go round (Right again, they’ve other plans)

And when the whistle blows, the gates will finally close

To-night they’re going to shut this factory down

Then they’ll tear it down ( naw, unless the building has really had it, it’ll be for new builds or shopping precinct!)

I never missed a day nor went on strike for higher pay ( A bit daft that, everyone should fight if necessary when there is injustice or poor conditions!) Mind you I’ve seen pictures of these marches Jarrow, George Reid, too painful, too painful. Like you Ordinary Men willing to give and give and give unaware their masters take and take and take until too late. Correct me if I’m wrong isn’t that why we elect governments to meet the need of the people. Hilary said it "there is an awful lot of not listening.” “The country is pissed off” David said it and he has excelled them all down through generations he’s succeeded in pissing the country off even more! Be consoled mate the higher up they go the harder they fall!

For twenty years I served them best I could (What? Was there never any increases in the bills, rent, food etc. too soft mate, too soft!)

Now with a handshake and a cheque it seems so easy to forget (Phew! At least there was a bit of redundancy money)

Loyalty through the bad times and through good ( Least you missed out on the presentation party, you know, the silver plate or the engraved mug might even have been a gold pen- What an escape!)

The owner says he’s sad to see that things have got so bad ( Read his script! Read his script! He’s said it all before!)

But the captains of industry won’t let him lose (Told you they’ve got other plans!)

He still drives a car and smokes his cigar (You mean like that fellow they call two jags poetic justice here mate he’ll snuff it with some lung thing or the big C- Fret not thyself and another thing he’ll have to sell all to pay his nursing home fees, watch him whine then! You and yours will be free. Hey! You might even get a room with him think of the fun you’ll have then!)

And still he takes his family on a cruise, he’ll never lose (You helped them! No use crying over spilt milk.)

Well it seems to me such a cruel irony( Why do the wicked prosper? Psalm 73 in The Book of Books

He’s richer now than he ever was before (You’ve forgotten he made it through your expertise and doesn’t need to pay you any wages! He’s probably got machines to take over that don’t cost as much but of course he’ll feel justified that he’s saved for this cruise! We never learn!) Us the Ordinary Man I mean. I mean the other poor sucker who has made these machines believe me his time’s coming for the boot!)

Now my cheque is spent and I can’t afford the rent ( Bxxxxx. Not even enough to see you or recommend you for other work)

There’s one law for the rich one for the poor (Doesn’t have to be there’s equal opportunities?)

Every day I’ve tried to salvage some of my pride ( No shyster you . We can see your honesty)

To find some work so’s I might pay my way ( I’ll bet your thinking right now that swine will never experience this)

Oh, but everywhere I go, the answer’s always no

There’s no work for anyone here to-day, no work today ( Told you it’s all organized ! The local business man’s breakfast or lunches or tea parties, careful if you’ve got any ideas better than theirs’s keep it to yourself) I mean they paid £90 for a dinner got dressed up in their best dinner suits think how much that cost to discuss wait for it,for drugs that are killing instead of healing but hey what's a loss of life here and there medicine for the individual they don't recognize it. Like I said the poor don’t understand the greed of the rich and the rich don’t understand the needs of the poor. A bit of flesh that’s all we are don’t even give us a number.

And so condemned I stand, just an Ordinary Man ( Don’t believe it your special, head up! Higher, Higher)

Like thousands beside me in the queue ( Unless I’m mistaken I heard someone say they were going to tackle this –I’m positive it was Tony somebody or other, what happened? Is he ill! What? you trying to tell me he’s the bxxxxx on that cruise with his profits?)

I watch my darling wife trying to make the best of life (Get her to write her story, you know what I mean the other picture? One law for the rich and one for the poor – The good Dr.Kwok said it. Told you they’re all in league- Phone calls here, phone calls there – they’ll never learn how to consider the poor yet I’m lead to believe they read The Book! )

And God knows what the kids are going to do ( Everyman’s pride and joy!)

Now that we are faced with this human waste

( Naw, they’ve got a plan they are putting wheels in motion something about identifying problem children early- not that they’ll ever admit that they’re the problem not our children! Can you believe it they actually give children medals for getting out of bed early before they go to school to help dress an invalid parent- poor tired wee mites while their’s are sitting comfortable in the Merc by the way which your expertise helped them get- Oh don’t get me started!

A generation cast aside ( Not if we can help it! )

And as long as I live, I never will forgive

You’ve stripped me of my dignity and pride, you’ve stripped me bare, you’ve stripped me bare ( I can see it in your eye’s they’re trying to break your spirit – and I’m hurting for you!) Watch this space. I’ll profits them!

An Ordinary Man and what a nation expects of him.