The Poet's Response to Taking Liberties

Poetry invariably has the upper hand in laying meaning and feeling bare; here is Nick Drew on the Leader's most recent public display.


Between the Lines of Gordon Brown’s Liberty

I want to talk today of liberty
(just as I talk of courage, in the hope
that, by association, I’ll be thought
to be their perfect representative)

We are all citizens of our country
With shared and common history, destiny
(unless we’re not ... but let’s not dwell on that.
So - “British jobs for British workers”, eh ?)

It’s not just tolerance; liberty means
Due process against arbitrary power
(which means, in turn, review by a commission
- the Great and Good. Appointed by Myself)

Freedom is only fully realized
When barriers are by society
O’ercome, that stop men being what they may
(and for society, read Gordon Brown:
I’ll be the arbiter of barriers,
and smash all in My path that holds Me back)

But liberty is not the only prize.
The test for any government will be
How it makes choices, weighs priorities
(and I’ve decided ID cards for all)

Now five times fifty are the powers We hold
To enter homes upon authorities’ whim
So We shall bring together all these powers,
For clarity, into a single code
(the better to coordinate Our raids)

The great prize of the information age
Is sharing data ’cross the public sphere
And using biometrics to new ends
Thus We deliver personalized services
(and other ‘personal’ schemes I have in mind)

Clear trends in recent terrorism show
That 28 days may not be enough
(what am I bid? fifty? sixty? yet more?
one hundred ? that sounds round and fair to Me)

To each new generation falls the task
Of redefining British liberty
(and you can safely leave this task to Me.
Yes, safely sleep, and leave this task to Me.)