The Regeneration ABC.
I was meant to be working this afternoon but got a little side-tracked and went for a wander to clear my head. I went through Holbeck along my usual route beside the moor and I wish I'd taken my camera . . . the demolition of the Recreations has begun. The place looks even spookier than usual. Closed off streets and gutted houses. There were a couple of small boys messing about behind the rather half-hearted fencing. Both kids were naked from the waist up. I had 3 layers and a leather jacket and I was chilly still. They make 'em tough in South Leeds!
For some reason I'd been humming the Socialist ABC, a song by Alex Glasgow, the guy who wrote the tune for When The Boat Comes in, and my brain did a bit of a mash up. I wish I could find the tune on the web. I tried to persuade my sister to hum it but she just ignored me. Here's the original words . . . obviously I haven't finished the song, It was the work of a couple of coffee breaks, just a bit of distraction. Maybe I'll come back to it after dinner and give it a bit of a polish. Perhaps if I need more distraction.
I just found the tune!
A's Anti-Social Behaviour, the sort that's committed by chavs, and
B's for our Business Link heroes, transforming have-nots into haves.
C is for Consultation, presenting the plebs with a plan, and
D's for the darling Developers, the council's their biggest fan!
E is Environmental, let's keep our thoughts airy and green, and
F's for our footprint of carbon, why we're making our energy clean.
G is for Grade 1 Listed, What the hell can we do with these piles? And
H is the new Homes we're building; you won't see a family for miles!
I's for the next Initiative, the latest one's new and improved, and
J is more jobs in construction; yes it's true that the Earth really moved!
K is the well deserved Knighthood that you get for making a splash, and
L's for the local place making, which will look great if they give us the cash.
M is the Malcontented, there's no reason to quibble or sneer, and
N's for neighbourhood renewal, all agree it's a damned fine idea.
O is the oil that's so snakeish, lubricating our marketing hype, and
P is for partnership working - for them, I'm just not the type.
Q is for Qualifications, we need us all more NVQ's, and
R is for Regeneration! How could anyone really refuse?
S is Super Output Area, in the old days we'd just call 'em slums, and
T's for the lovely Third Sector, from whence our deliverance comes.
U's for the twee Urban Village, a salve to suburban neglect, and
V's the big Vision we've branded . . . its impact's yet hard to detect.
W is for Whitewashed statistics, and that's where I must call it quits, cos
XY and Z, my business coach said,
and I'm still struggling to find a rhyme to end on!
Posted 1 month ago
by Phil Kirby
1 comment
Jan 24, 2010
tardisgrl said...
Sigh....when I saw the title I thought you meant the pop group from Shefield were getting back together
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