Local poem with retro pics and poignant vibe

[misterj]

First attempt at putting some thoughts together on how our hometown / home city deteriorated in recent years although I’m sure many places in the red wall zone going through the same? All feedback welcome.

[lordb]

Liked it
Think perhaps less emphasis on making things rhyme?
But what do I know?

[misterj]

Jul 11, 2024 21:46:11 GMT lordb said:

Liked it
Think perhaps less emphasis on making things rhyme?
But what do I know?

Thanks lordb!

[misterj]

Here’s the text version if you didn’t want see the video …………. HOME TOWN - THEN AND NOW
What happened to those places we call home?
In the North and the Midlands, no eternal vibe of Rome
But special towns and cities with culture and history
That have somehow disintegrated – it’s all a mystery
Successful types used to mock our dialects and voices
Because they – over there - all made educated choices
They had mummies and daddies bailing them out
Whilst our’s weren’t afraid to scold, smack and shout
We were loved and cherished in a sort of different way
But on limited occasions, certainly not everyday
What has happened to the streets around our town?
A hint of menace and danger – things looking down
The era of boom, everyone in work
But that was decades ago, now a spirit does lurk
Around these parts which would depress you to Hell
If you allowed it to, it has an odour, a smell
Of hopelessness, of helplessness, of faded grandeur
This is how it is, in contrast to the way things were
The homeless, the beggars, the drunks and the users
Branded as useless, decried, branded as losers
Retail and Amazon sucked the business from central city
A void, a vacuum, desolation now, such a pity
Who has the will, the motivation, the conscience to try
Soothing our fears so those tears will eventually dry?
But what’s this levelling up theory being pushed?
Do they think a few quid offered will see us hushed?
So there’s a squadron of billionaires in the U.K. now
Can someone, anyone, explain to me how
Potholes remain untouched, old factories empty and sad
Derelict churches, schools, shops, houses, all breaking bad
Don’t any affluent folk have a philanthropist’s streak?
To chase down issues, solve problems, assist the weak?
The chosen few made their money in centuries gone by
On the backs of others, using and abusing, telling a lie
And kidding the disenfranchised they were being looked after
While our ‘betters’ enjoyed cigars and champagne and laughter
They have their palaces, their stately homes and castles
Whilst the cost-of-living crisis brings most of us hassles
How do some seem to know how to gain from the postcode lottery
Whilst others don’t – makes the concept of democracy a mockery
When will they commit to that levelling up catchphrase?
They could easily improve peoples’ lives in so many ways
And they could still be allowed to live on all that old money
Everything else falls down, everyone else hurts, not funny
Poverty comes in many forms, some out of our control
But going back to billionaires, if they had a real soul
They’d donate a percentage and still have obscene wealth
Then think ‘outside the box’ and enhance the widespread health
Of swathes of people through affordable homes or a rebuilt school
Or care in the community or jobs creation, that’d be cool
And how can any decent-sized city not have a central ring road?
Our’s is three quarters complete – makes me want to explode
Use some of that bloody HS2 cancellation cash
A bit of tarmac, bit of concrete, bish bosh bash
The Scandinavians do it best, they’re happy with their lot
No formal education till age 7, they catch up and do not
Allow huge differences, big gaps between rich and poor
Their health system, sick pay, pensions all protected by law
Low serious crime, less addictions, less inequality
More time for family, socializing, a mentally stable majority
For us though it doesn’t, shouldn’t, take much imagination
To get things kick-started for some serious re-generation
Of dismal and gloomy and dilapidated locations
They’re crying out for a hero who sees it as their vocation
To show politicians what levelling up is really like
Creating venues of leisure, lanes for your bike
Or condensing the shopping to one smaller space
And the rest given to housing or gardens, a meeting base
Use town centres for weekend concerts, live music, spoken word
It would be marketing for performers once they’d been heard
And Brexit’s not working - Covid didn’t help either
A population struggling, irritated by low-level mither
Will not be at their productive best if we just let things slip
If it continues then social incohesion will be more than a blip
Our public generally don’t care which political party’s in power
Just lift us from this scenario, seize the day, try seizing the hour
What happened to those places from our past?
Where did it all go? And why couldn’t it last?

[Eggybread]

Jul 11, 2024 14:04:05 GMT misterj said:

First attempt at putting some thoughts together on how our hometown / home city deteriorated in recent years although I’m sure many places in the red wall zone going through the same? All feedback welcome.

Sorry mate its not my cup of tea ,I dont really do nostalgia but rather look to the future.But carry on mate dont let the likes of me put you off,well done.

[frasier37]

Love it mate. Love artistry, love the flow style and it drew me into the story 

[misterj]

Thanks eggybread and frazier37, appreciate your honesty

[middleoftheboothen]

Liked it mate 👍

[marylandstoke]

Oh come on.

All these posts and no one else saw Poignant Vibe supporting WoT?

[thehartshillbadger]

Jul 12, 2024 17:32:33 GMT marylandstoke said:

Oh come on.

All these posts and no one else saw Poignant Vibe supporting WoT?

POIDH

[marylandstoke]

Jul 12, 2024 17:34:11 GMT thehartshillbadger said:

Jul 12, 2024 17:32:33 GMT marylandstoke said:

Oh come on.

All these posts and no one else saw Poignant Vibe supporting WoT?

POIDH

Without going too far into my involvement with Poignant Vibe, in those days, there were no cell phones and thus little proof.

good times…good times

[misterj]

Poignant Vibe? I don’t follow!!

[misterj]

[misterj]

Looking forward to feedback!