A poem by Neva Carmouche

By way of a guest blog Mr Mustard present's a poem by Neva Carmouche who he hasn't, to his knowledge, met. The wonders of computing, except if you a have a Barnet Council tablet of course.

A Poem

By

Neva Carmouche

Celebrating the World Premiere

Of the Film

“A Tale of Two Barnets”

A Few Lines Written upon the Proposed Closure of Friern Library after hearing that Barnet Council had instructed that all advertising posters for the World Premier Film “ A Tale of Two Barnets ” should be taken down from all Council Buildings .

Also that Barnet Council had banned Children from entering the Friern Library on Saturday 24 March 2012 to deliver 78TH Anniversary “ Thank You ” Cards to the Council Scrutiny Committee who had voted a “ temporary respite ” from “ closure ” and subsequent demolition .

Ich konnte für ein RAM als Schaf außerdem gehangen werden
[ I might as well be hung for a Ram as a Sheep ]

Jack Boots , Jack Boots ,
Can you hear them silently ?
Rising to cacophony ?
Can you taste absurdity ?
Can you see the arrogance ?
And the Council threatening ?
We may have been deleted ,
From the Council’s map already ,
But we are not defeated ,
So steady our Folks , cry steady !
I cannot hear them listening ,
Consultation is a farce ,
The People’s view – n’er to been seen --
today , has not been seen again .
I only see the bullying ,
The lying and the biasness ,
Together with dissembling
The token PR exercise ,
Result ? - a forgone conclusion ,
Of sheets of leading questions ,
Dis-allowed by Court exclusions .
I cannot see them listening ,
Consultation was a sham ,
Of course in breach of Capenhurst ,
“ What’s that ? ” , they cry out , to a man !
Electors suffer tyranny ,
Blended with malignity ,
With cruelty and with callousness ,
And cheating and with recklessness ,
The harshness and intolerance ,
In breach of Nolan Principles ,
The list goes on and on………….
“We got it wrong ! ” , the Members cry ,
Their Officers ? Deny ! Deny !
“We got it wrong ” , again is cried ,
But no reasons for “ Shop-Genocide ” ?
“ Lets fill those coffers ” , secret vote ,
For short term gains , and assets stripped ,
And shoppers robbed of parking trips ,
And Shops just closed , made bankrupt too ,
By Parking greed , and fines excessive ,
Employment lost , the futures hue ?
Not “ Back to Black ” – much worse than that ,
Worse than the riots ? - Those Shops were fixed -
But I’ve lost all my Customers’ Parking ,
That’s worse even than the Blitz .
Officer’s wage up for review ?
How can we raise more Revenue ?
We must not lose our Council Jobs ,
Lets vote , but quick , we got the power ,
My taxi’s here in half an hour !
Allowance safe , it’s in my bags !
So pass another sandwich Mags !
Lets not discuss my pension please ,
But Library and Museum closures ,
And future generations , shorn of culture .
Ignore the wonders of a child and
Turn them away on 78TH Anniversary Day ?
With Cards in hand , just shove them back ?
Might They be part of some Terror Attack ?
Forget the knitting , reading meetings ,
Talks and local Pol-Ice teaming ,
Best forget that it’s a much loved Centre ,
The only Community Centre in our area ,
A focal point for this Community ?
Much rather have my Council Pension’s Annuity !
Schiller wrote “ the gods themselves struggle against stupidity ” ,
Could he have imagined a Council struggling with it’s Liquidity ?
By robbing the poor to sustain it’s excesses ?
Then selling our assets to cover up their defective digresses ?
But making sure of Consultant’s K(ick)-B(ack) Commissions ?
And “ factoring –in ” those “secret conditions ” ?
No Landmark Library in Artsdepot ?
No Feasibility Study on the same ?
No Talks with Artsdep Management ?
No Human Rights , to blame ?
To destroy Friern Library on such grounds ?
Such Arrogance simply just Astounds !!!
That is , until the underlying logic is exposed ,
Then asked in sweat :-
“ How much Commission should I get ? ”
Council “ short term gains ” , will create
Jo Public’s “ irreparable Long term losses ” ,
For the “ Whole Local Community ” ,
For pleas such as these , Council’s proud to admit ,
“ We have acquired stone-hearted immunity ” .
But , hang on , I have a Duty ? Well , How and Why ?
Electors just shout “Crucify ! ”
I do have a Duty ? Well , Where and Who ?
Should I admit , that we don’t have a clue ?
What ? A fiduciary duty , you call it ? And another confirm ?
Should we vote that we won’t offer compromise ?
And with luck , Jo “ Stupid ” Public won’t even realize ?
Since I wasn’t aware – is it best I keep quiet ? –
What if They find out and They start to shout ?
At any cost - must we avoid Riot ?

Neva Carmouche 31 March 2012