Two poems on a similar theme

Social distancing and COVID-19, guidance for pubs

you don’t have to wear a mask

and you don’t have to be ashamed

but it helps if you’re angry

some words of advice and guidance

it is your right as englishman native-born and oh all right some

others too but we won’t say who to gather and spit indifference

into the maw of the bar, we prefer the 66 replica  but in a

pinch a decent shirt will do, we’re not animals and it’s your right

as a free-born patriot to sing about long-dead wars

and all the tropes that the arseholes with their

opinions deplore well fuck them because this lads lads lads is

where we’re standing, well swaying

and it’s a tricky one for the cunts

and while they wonder if it’s class hatred

we’ll get on, on a nod and a wink, keep on

and we want to let you know that all your lives matter all of

of them and anyone who tries to tell you other

wise is getting banged, my son

because whatever end you

look at it from, here or somewhere with

deep carpets and quiet voices, the Lion

where it’s always just about to close

or somewhere nice, with abstract prints

and lamb shank at twenty pounds

it's easy to talk about issues, and everyone can

but a shithouse is always a shithouse

Union Jack Duvet Cover

In 2012 the red disappeared

Maybe that’s why it was

So easy to love the flag, that summer

If you’re old enough to remember

Patsy Kensit in a Union Jack bedspread

Then you’ve got a conflicted idea

Why we’re queasy about flags

And if you’re old enough to remember

No blacks no dogs no Irish

Then you’ll know how they hide

Behind the stripes of the Union

And if you’re old enough to have

Forgotten all this

Then understand  that when you

Wrap yourself in your

220 thread count, pure Cotton

Union Jack duvet cover

It’s going to be a restless night’s sleep.