Poem: Thanks for nothing

Thanks for nothing

The frost lies heavily on the lawns of the Lodge

the morning after the Budget is brought down.

The ABC drones on attempting to achieve balance

by broadcasting the clichéd statements of experts.

Economic rationalists and market screen jockeys

are counterposed with welfare spokespersons.

A Democrat here and a Green there — side with Labor,

then juxtaposed with Pru Goward and government ministers.

The anger of students, the despair of Aborigines

and the fear felt by the unemployed were covered last week.

Criticism is muted and considered

the sense of outrage and betrayal passed over.

The Aussie battler left home hours ago looking for work,

those lucky enough to have a job are stuck in a traffic jam.

Johnny Howard says he kept his promises

and nobody calls him a liar.

He says that Kim Beazley is impersonating Chicken Little

and might as well claim the sky is falling.

Howard had better hope the sky is falling

it is the only way he is ever going to touch it.

John Tomlinson

From GLW issue 243