Poetry

By

Saira Viola

Ring Stinga! Champion of Peace

King of the ring,

shimmy shuffle two step three beats

balletic poise on magic feet

slide dip and drag

pump push pummel

bang box – the body bag

dope rope special

‘slave name’,

Cassius Clay

rejected by the new heavyweight

proud black

and loud

Islamic convert

fighting for peace

for justice

for liberty

for three long years

they stole his dreams

relegated to handouts and charity

his spirit unbroken

his mind intact

Muhammad Ali

razzle dazzle

come back!

Right hook bam!

Left jab slam!

Winning hero

takes a pacifist

stand

‘American patriots’,

turn their back

on the champ

but he trumpets the call of the free

and is crowned a lion of liberty

Brothers and sisters

all over the world

Ali’s side split wit

and matchless humanity

have gone

But his power to inspire

rocks strong and lives on.

Get Up Offa That Thing!

Tittle tattle

tabloids hit

porking baby sitters

big dick pics

rolling sleaze

on a plasma screen

penny stocks

rock dollar dreams

start up tech bubble

bursts at the seams

scandal sheets

sell motor adds

insurance scams

and pension plans

film stars fight to be recognised

racist wars in black and white

good cop bad cop

on equal pay

ballers pitching

easy prey

Kierkegaard speaks through

gifs and memes

new society ‘too bored to read’,

trippin’ on a trivia stream

fleecing beggars and refugees

snake eyes scoring for easy lays

virgin flowers ready to slay

high five jives

and lying lips

back room trades

and lawyer’s tricks

squillionaires steal workers’ lives,

yachting under Caribbean skies

stash their cash

under panama hats

leaving hopes and dreams

on the welfare line,

surfing sofas – no place

to stay

join the army

for regular pay

waging wars

for crooked means

sharing scraps

with rats and fleas

deathly shadows

on the wall

money succubus blows

you raw

fill your mouth with

crossing tongues

hymn of truth

still unsung.

Saira Viola

Saira Viola is a critically acclaimed poet, prose writer and provocateur. Her work is diverse, but not afraid to innovate, startle and provoke.

Novels: ‘Jukebox‘ and ‘Crack Apple and Pop‘. Poetry (‘Rebel Book of Poems‘, ‘Fast Food and Gin On The Lawn‘). Publications: International Times, The Poetry Times, Push, Stop The War Coalition UK, Dissident Times and others.