Poem

Do you remember Ireland in the 80s,
Before we confused reality with nostalgic wishes of what was.
You can pretend that things were better once upon a time
But even in the nicest families children went to bed with empty bellies
And meat was for men on Sundays.

The eldest in our family remember my mum as angry
With sharp slaps and few hugs, to make us tough
While the babies have been cosseted and loved
Like so many Celtic cubs.

Times are harder now again, the bubble had to burst,
And the parents who pawned wedding rings then
Find themselves woken in the night by bills again.
The divide between those who have and those who need
Has widened once more to a gulf, and the bridges are burning,
And it is harder now that we have forgotten how to have nothing.