Sometimes it is the state of the world that preoccupies him,
campaigning for peace and pensioners.
Although public opinion has moved his way,
Meetings, groups and such occasions eat up his time.
He is powered with a zeal for international security.
The state of his roof preoccupies him and in a rash rush of
domestic disasters, he almost gassed himself.
He put his pipe alight into his pocket and burned his coat.
The car breaks down and is broken into.
Now the roof caves in when the builder walks across it,
and accidentally puts his foot right through the ceiling.
His old adversaries would need hard hearts not to sympathise
with his bouts of depression. He becomes deaf and has trouble
with his heart and legs.
Only his friends sustain him and the pride he feels
at his children’s success is uncontainable.
His jokes are demonstrably unribtickling.
He marches out into the world with a thermos flask
and a Mars bar.
He remains unashamedly sentimental.
The case for working people is coming back and
though there are times for despair, there are still days of hope
as he enjoys life’s afternoon sunshine
with his grandchildren.
(Found Poem -With thanks to the Guardian Review 20.10,07 by David McKie
reviewing More Time for Politics; Diaries 2001-07 by Tony Benn)
