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poetry

BC Welfare Rights
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The Brunswick Centre, Kirklees & Calderdale

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Not being a Twitterer I only just came across Brian Bilston’s poetry. Well worth a read from what I have seen so far -
https://brianbilston.com/2016/03/23/refugees/

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
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Information and advice resources - Age UK

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Yes, I’ve long been a fan of Mr Bilston and he wrote this a couple of years back I seem to remember. It’s such a clever piece of poetry, and especially so with some of the hysteria going on.

nevip
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Welfare rights adviser - Sefton Council, Liverpool

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BC Welfare Rights - 11 August 2020 08:40 PM

Not being a Twitterer I only just came across Brian Bilston’s poetry. Well worth a read from what I have seen so far -
https://brianbilston.com/2016/03/23/refugees/

I just love that.

Vonny
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Welfare rights adviser - Social Inclusion Unit, Swansea

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That is completely brilliant

BC Welfare Rights
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The Brunswick Centre, Kirklees & Calderdale

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With apologies to Bob Dylan and whoever the original poet was…

A Welfare Rights Worker’s 115th Dream

Last night as I lay sleeping
I died, or so it seemed
So off I went to the crossroads
‘tween heaven and Satan’s screams

Up there St Peter met me
Peering through the Pearly Gates
He said “I must check your record
Please stand outside and wait”

He found my notes and read them
He sighed deeply, then he said
“Your record has the most awful flaws
On earth you championed many a losing cause
You lied, deceived, and cheated
Your mates you put upon
You smoked endless fags
You dressed in rags
You even worked whilst signing on

I see you drank much alcohol
You swore constantly and took drugs too
You did pretty darned near everything
A good man should never do
We don’t take your type up here, I’m afraid
It’s the fires below for you”

My knees they started knocking
My brow began to sweat
I begged him to reconsider
He said “Hang on, I’m not done yet”

He read the last of my record
His face broke into a grin
He slapped my back and laughed
“My friend, come right on in!”

He marched me straight up to the Big Boss
Said “Take him in, treat him well
This man used to work in Welfare Rights
He has served his time in hell.”

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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Another fan of Mr. B. here.

On a similar theme I am a fan of Anais Mitchell and, somewhat obviously, the excellent Hadestown. These lyrics have echoed down the last few years too.

[Hades:]
Why do we build the wall
My children, my children?
Why do we build the wall?

[Company:]
Why do we build the wall?
We build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free

[Hades:]
How does the wall keep us free
My children, my children?
How does the wall keep us free?

[Company:]
How does the wall keep us free?
The wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free

[Hades:]
Who do we call the enemy
My children, my children?
Who do we call the enemy?

[Company:]
Who do we call the enemy?
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free

[Hades:]
Because we have and they have not
My children, my children
Because they want what we have got

[Company:]
Because we have and they have not
Because they want what we have got
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free

[Hades:]
What do we have that they should want
My children, my children?
What do we have that they should want?

[Eurydice:]
What do we have that they should want?
We have a wall to work upon
We have work and they have none

[Hades:]
And our work is never done!
My children, my children!
And the war is never won

[Hades & company:]
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free
We build the wall to keep us free…

I could listen to the voice of Hades (Greg Brown) on the original Hadestown album forever. To also paraphrase Bob, “it contains multitudes”.