to put a cap on austerity

man enters bank then raises gun

to encourage a withdrawal

gets fifteen years

without remission

man enters Parliament and orders cops

to deliver electric shock stunning cosh

nips off to Panama to make a secret deposit

ends in the Lords nicking more each day

for life

The Nasty Party

learning nothing

all the while

this that and the other prey into their cell phones

way beyond Henry The Eighth floor

Grenfell Tower

sprinkle of teardrops not enough

© Philip Johnson

UK’s economic model is broken, says Archbishop of Canterbury

Philip's work includes hard copy published by: Poetry Now, Anchor Poets, North West Disabled Writers Group, Das Alchemy, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Mid Cheshire Writers Group, Cheshire Carers Centre Newsletter, National Assc for Colitis & Crohn's Disease newsletters, local, regional and a national newspaper.

Electronic Formats: Write Away, Caught In The Net, The Red Pencil, and The Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Caught In The Net

Sunday 'Shorts'

Letter to My Cousins

Dear Munchkins, just to keep you posted.

I wore #Target, #Walmart, and #Payless today.

I went on a shopping spree at Acme, got there

in our ten-year-old Chevy with “Keep Ohio Lovely”

and smiling emoji stickers on the rear bumper.

Spent $21.15 on Cheerios, skim milk and two-for-one

packs of chicken parts and ground beef.

In the check-out line ahead of me, a platinum blonde

bragged to her iPhone how she’d been cast

as a African princess. Aw shucks the scene got cut.

Hey, we spent two glorious weeks in August

traveling from Canton to Little Rock

in our new reconditioned RV. Love, Loretta Sue

© Nancy Scott

Louise Linton: What to know about Steve Mnuchin's wife

Nancy is author of nine books of poetry. Many of her poems deal with social justice issues.
She resides in New Jersey, USA, www.nancyscott.net


So Donald Said to Harvey…

“Well, you have may limited rotating concentric powers—so sad—

but, please get this, Mr. Rabbit, I am King through election,

and that gives me the sole power to forgive a man

who wasn’t guilty in the first place because we need to get

rid of those people who aren’t white and with us…

to enhance my standing with others who love me, and make them happy!”

© Kay Weeks

Hurricane Harvey Makes Landfall Near Corpus Christi, Tex.

Trump Pardons Joe Arpaio, Who Became Face of Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

Kay Weeks is a retired historic preservation professional who lives in Oella, Ellicott City, Maryland— she paints and writes and shares.


even more fun if

even more fun if, in the future, these abused youngsters
send old Tory money grubbers down t' pit with only a candle for light and a plastic hat to keep em from harm should the scraping o' the shit shovel bring th' whole cavern crashing
upon em . . .

© Philip Johnson

Tory peer says Brexit is good because young people will be able to work longer hours

Philip's work includes hard copy published by: Poetry Now, Anchor Poets, North West Disabled Writers Group, Das Alchemy, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Mid Cheshire Writers Group, Cheshire Carers Centre Newsletter, National Assc for Colitis & Crohn's Disease newsletters, local, regional and a national newspaper.


Electronic Formats: Write Away, Caught In The Net, The Red Pencil, and The Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Caught In The Net

The World of Mularky

the little monster to be came home early

with a letter from school

cut his hair, it said, sharp fashion

we teach children

not yetti

we are not a nation of yetti
yet

this school proudly wants a student ready
to learn and flower into a blooming great

Trump

© Philip Johnson

Outrage after boy, 4, is sent home from school for having long hair

Philip's work includes hard copy published by: Poetry Now, Anchor Poets, North West Disabled Writers Group, Das Alchemy, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Mid Cheshire Writers Group, Cheshire Carers Centre Newsletter, National Assc for Colitis & Crohn's Disease newsletters, local, regional and a national newspaper.

Electronic Formats: Write Away, Caught In The Net, The Red Pencil, and The Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Caught In The Net

too poor a poem

too fat
too thin
too much sugar

too little substance
too few jobs
too many politicians
too intent to abuse position
too short on a good plot
too vile in deed
too late already
must go


Skinny Jeans and society

©Philip Johnson
Previously appeared in: Poetry Super Highway, Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland,
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil,
Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse
and The Robin Hood Book.  

gloomy monday snap

hear the cuckoo nark
at high rent
the patter of tiny claws
google

"hyperemesis gravidarum"

ponder Ian Duncan Smith
whether or not he has the balls
to visit the duke and the duchess
re: birth control

the burdensome cost of welfare
and the addition of the spare room
(subsidy)?

10 High Priced Properties in London
Philip Johnson

Previously appeared in: Poetry Super Highway, Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland,
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil,
Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse
and The Robin Hood Book. 

smug two face the toff's butler

here he is look
smug two face the toff's butler

shining the toff's shoes brilliant pink

not so good if you want to appear on TV
as a head-u-cated honourable sort (while
ripping off blighty backwards)

and what of events in the world today

toff's off to the nearest fish market for a photo shoot
smacking lips wi' finnie-hadie

well gutted
Dorf Thicapn CriParents need to learn  "use the off switch" to stop children spending too much time watching television, David Cameron has said.


AKA: © Philip Johnson

Previously appeared in: Poetry Super Highway, Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland,
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.  

distractin burglary

told us of feeding five thousand
turned water to wine
jesus

come back from the dead

we lapped it up
yearned for more
got greedy

said the man

elect him and we could so dine
drew us a fish in the sand
he was the chosen one

that day cocaine was found in the water

our bellies fiercely grumbled
and our tongues had the sour taste
of the devious

devil shit


Drinking water in UK contains Cocaine
©Philip Johnson

Philip's work has appeared in: Poetry Super Highway, Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland,
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil,
Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse
and The Robin Hood Book

'sugar tax'

sneak in the night caught
by cctv
 
burst out of their denim
 
streak of fat become the norm
says chief medical officer
 
with a dickie bow smile
 
yes they say we have freedom
in our free country
 
just don't smoke    don't drink    don't grow old
 
 ©Philip Johnson
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26765078

Philip Johnson's poetry has reviously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, 
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.  

little englander's end

greed now
mrs thatcher
closed down the community
turned the family 
son against dad
cost cut and cast out 

out out out
 
and in come the bogeymen
the offshore tax break
multi-national
hand out
held out 
out out 
out
 
all the while the jack ass politician 
ate at his own ass until at last
the final break of wind
was blown
 
 ©Philip Johnson

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/09/mark-harper-immigration-minister-resigns
Philip Johnson's poetry has previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book. 
 

the second half of a pair of shoes wishes me good day

the second half of a pair of shoes
wishes me a good day

sat there in his cardboard box with his big broad smile
tapping together his feet - a plimsoll on his left foot
oddly a wellington on the right
 
smug
 
he interlocks his contented fingers behind his head 
(does this guy not realise the cost of petrol or how much 
we must now to pay for a spare bedroom)
 
out of touch 
 
this posh boy we call a prime minister actually does feel
we are all enjoying the fruits of a recovery together?

 ©Philip Johnson

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10593584/David-Cameron-hails-the-start-of-recovery-for-all.html

Previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book. 

the religion of humbug‏

christmas past
new year has a hard head
accounts have to be
squared

scrooge's ghost has come to restore
some faith in market forces (while
stocks last)

get your cream eggs

Stores have started stocking chocolate eggs

©Philip Johnson 

Previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland,
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil,
Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse
and The Robin Hood Book.

 

same old same old

so now the people are buying diamonds
gold and "things"
properties

Maggie Thatcher thimbles
owt that appears an "investment"
so much is our faith in the bank
our leaders
groan

cold night on the high street
turning
yet the man who found some saxon gold in a field
in staffordshire thinks there may be more
beneath the asphalt of the nearby M6 toll road
says a mole in the press
report
jesus christ
two thousand years since the money lenders
were turned out of the temple:

©Philip Johnson 

Detroit's derelict buildings provide booming industry

Previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland,
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil,
Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse
and The Robin Hood Book.

mad as cheese (the miner's version)

like the lave of worms
we have a constant need to burrow
road up for repair
 
yet we ask how do the holes appear 
in the cheese
 coal dust gold diamond
oil we dig sprinkle salt
on fish n chips
 
after church on sunday the wine
and the spirit 
 
discovery of methane and the fun
we make with a light as we take it in turn
to burn our farts
 
and all this while we are sinking ourselves deeper
into this fracking great nightmare 
 
Philip Johnson
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25420552

Philip Johnson's poetry has previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, 
Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, 
Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.

end of the bird shooting season

night sites and day
especially in rural areas
the occasional crack of thunder
sunday boot sales

just got that little bit better

© Philip Johnson

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/amazon-unveils-drone-delivery-system-8976976.html

Philip Johnson's have previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.

before they abolished the rope

we were told a twelve dollar mail order rifle
ended a nation of innocence...and all that
we learned

© Philip Johnson
3-D printer Gun
 
Philip Johnson's poems have previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.

christmas seems a crime to celebrate this year

christmas
seems a crime to celebrate
this year

with so many in a struggle

MPs having to choose between the second home
or power for the pigpen

bloody servants ruin all the fun always

why can't the all just bugger off
to the bank

mumsie n' poppa?


© Philip Johnson
  Millionaire Tory MP has admitted claiming expenses for electricity used to run the stables on his private estate.

Philip Johnson's poems have previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.

illustrious

I want you to consider the low waged when devising tomorrow's bill
said the pm

they ponder the situation in the boardrooms

one CEO says he won't take his bonus today
as we are all in this together

later the postman we hear is to come with a box
offering opportunity to fold ourselves and climb in
winter the storm in a warmer climate

we must affix the appropriate postage

© Philip Johnson

  Water Cos. urged to convert “unexpectedly high profits” into “tangible benefits for customers”

Philip's work has previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.

Tears at the Chapel Royal.(a low-key affair)

in a box

the forgotten heir

winters

without light

while that family, as she called them,  

now have fresh blood and a new line 

(of worship)

duely christened

to the coven of seven (god 

fearing)

© Philip Johnson

 Kate Middleton sizzles in black gown

Previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.

the perfect poem for april fools‏

they promised gas would be free

once they tapped into the North Sea

and then they told us that the fruits of the family

would cascade over generations

now they tell us work will always pay

"Elderly could bankrupt welfare"

 ©Philip Johnson

Previously appeared in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.

now the playing fields are level‏

the man in the bank offered cash
hand over fist

crisp notes

spend he said live and enjoy then pay us back
when you're feeling straight

up went the rent
in come a car
a new garage

new house aside which to put the garage
the new car

out went the rent

in come the mortgage
out went the laundry
offshore

never had it

the man from the bank had a good night
hand over fist

nobody won

at the end of the day the casino closed
mortgage turned to rent car to bicycle
house to bed-space

trick o' the light it appears

the tax payer mugged the banker
mugged the tax payer
mugged 

nobody won

but today the tax payer walks to work
whereas the banker traded the old porsche
for the latest model and the politician

the politician traded expenses for a higher salary
and greater allowances (longer holidays)
new apartments for themselves
their offspring
their aunties
and uncles
the wife
the lover
the mistress abroad
the banker's ass

while we endure
we must thank god
at least:

“we are all in this together.”


© Philip Johnson

The love of money has corrupted our idea of public service

 Philip has had work published in: Poetry 24, The Ugly Tree; Poetry Scotland, Emergency Verse, Write Away, Caught In The Net, Red Pencil, Writer's Hood, Transparent Words; Emergency Verse and The Robin Hood Book.