“On the brink of poverty” A poem…..
Dedicated to the NIMBYs of Barriefield Village and to CIty Hall, both needing constructive ways to engage with the need for reasonably priced housing.
ON THE BRINK OF POVERTY
BY GEOFF SMITH
ON THE BRINK OF POVERTY, WERE IT NOT
FOR FORTUNE FOR YOU AND FOR ME,
WE’D FIND OURSELVES, DELIVERED AND
SEALED, TO A LONELY POTTER’S FIELD
THAT ONCE HOUSED THE POOR AND ASPIRING,
PEOPLE WHO WORKED AND, THOUGH PERSPIRING.
CALLED KINGSTON HOME AT THE EDGE OF CAMP,
BARRIEFIELD, AN ENTRY RAMP.
FOR SOLDIERS AND WIVES, AFTER THE WAR,
MIGRANTS IN H-HUTS IN NUMBERS GALORE
WITH HOPES AFTER PATRIOTIC DUTY DONE,
RUEING MUD AFTER VANQUISHING THE HUN
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THIRTY YEARS
THEY CAME HOME TO RAUCOUS CHEERS, AND
SOUGHT THEIR FORTUNES CLOSE TO BE
IN A BURGEONING POSTWAR ECONOMY.
IN THE OLD VILLAGE TOO, NOT ALL THAT WEALTHY
STILL DENIZENS FOUND WAYS TO BE HEALTHY
AND HAPPY TOO. WITH SUCH A GRAND VIEW
OF THE CAT, CITY, & A LOW SKYLINE, THANK YOU.
NOW A HALF-CENTURY LATER, AND ANOTHER SCORE,
BARRIEFIELD BOASTS GENTRIFIED DOORS
AND RESIDENTS WORRY ABOUT THE LOUD SNORES
OF POORER FOLK IN A PUBLIC HOUSING CORE
PROPOSED BY THE CITY WHICH IN ARCANE LORE
THREATENS PROPERTY VALUES, AND EVEN MORE,
AS ALL THOSE PROGRESSIVE QUEEN’S PROFS
AGREE, NOT IN MY BACKYARD, NOT AT ALL FOR ME,
THE CITY’S CRAZY, THEY ARGUE AND SNORT,
THINK OF THE PROPERTY VALUES AND ALL THE TORTS
COMMITTED BY NEWCOMERS LESS ABLE THAN WE,
NO MARKETS, ARENAS, OR RINKS, YOU SEE.
SO BARRIEFIELD WITH ITS COTTAGES PLEASANT
CITY-HALL MENACED, WITH RESOLVE SO REGNANT,
WILL NEVER, AGAIN, GET THE CHANCE TO SHINE
IF THIS PLAN PASSES WITH ITS PRINT SO FINE.
INDEED, LET US HOIST OUR HYPOCRITE’S PETARD,
(THROUGH JANE JACOBS AND MARX’S CANARD)
AND REPEAT THRICE MORE, CON MUCHO BRIO…
NOT, NOT, NOT, NEVER IN OUR BACKYARD.