Rapid Response

A port. There are vertiginous stacks of shipping containers. Cranes. Many men in hard hats and high-vis tabards. One ( The FOREMAN) holds a clipboard FOREMAN: You'd think they could afford to give me an iPad A stage-hand scurries on, retrieves the clipboard and replaces it with a tablet. The foreman nods, and steps to the front of the stage, where he is spotlit, flanked by containers FOREMAN: It's a cruel life at times For example, these boxes they could have anything in and sometimes they do A group of REFUGEES emerge from one of the containers and move slowly around the foreman in a loosely choreographed dance REFUGEES: he's talking about us, btw, this is political theatre FOREMAN: I'd have thought that was obvious thought that was clear tha's what we know isn't it, you lot floods and all that, biblical images my wife Cheryl's left me been doing my head in REFUGEES: Sorry about that not really our problem we're off to the...

Google Rana Plaza for all commodities Are of a piece and a piece of Shirt that’s pulled from rubble (four Quid to you squire: Pretty Little Thing) Is as much an artfully tattered part Of it as the hardwood furniture Being sold in the park, caps Clustered round illegally logged teak The stream of goods The concept of matter The constancy of containers The necessities of motion And one can argue that cocaine Is much of a muchness No worse than a garment Or unethical coffee But langue and parole the money keeps Flowing as it must and if it salves your conscience to say whatabout And get the column written then Write about the kid here hanged himself Five grand in debt to coffee dealers They smashed up his house, threatened His mum The necessary outcomes of trade