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North East Bylines
Home Culture Poetry

Hoist the flag

Poem by Harry Gallagher

Harry GallagherbyHarry Gallagher
29-03-2021 17:38 - Updated On 18-04-2022 09:27
in Poetry
Reading Time: 1 min
A A
The Union flag by Ree Saunders Licenced by creative commons

The Union flag by Ree Saunders Licenced by creative commons

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 Hoist the flag over the food banks,
 tell the world just who we are,
 paint the breakfast clubbing hungry kids
 red, white and blue;
 then snap them all in two
 to check they’re British through and through.
  
 Paint ensigns on hospital walls
 so our nurses can live on pride.
 Paying their bills using national fervour,
 an enchanted salute to the Union
 while slowly dying inside.
  
 Remind the Scottish who their boss is!
 You Welsh can bend the knee!
 Stop making a scene,
 now bow to the Queen
 and her wonderful, nuclear family.
  
 Tattoo the faces of asylum seekers
 (as if they’re not already scarred enough).
 Remind them just whose country this is
 as the tricolour ink tingles and burns
 and if they don’t like the idea
 then they can bloody well return.
  
 Fly the skull and crossbones over Parliament
 as they do deals with rich tax dodgers,
 a sign flying high,
 painting the sky
 with a message: 
 “You’ve been jolly rodgered.” 
Tags: Culture
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Harry Gallagher

Harry Gallagher

Poet, singer, songwriter, actor - there's no beginning to my talents. Working constantly and live blissfully on the North East coast I’m a poet based in the North East of England and my poems have been published all over the place.

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