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The last vote countedpuffed up special advisers(spads in the parlance) happy to bebag carriers to triumphant MPsflock to Members Lobby forintrigue and gossip. Eager for an office in hallowed groundbehind the speaker’s chairclose to the Chamber under Big Ben. Or go with the buzz in Portcullis Houseprize offices with large windowslooking out at the famous […]
The post We won appeared first on Unite Live.
Although spiders’ webs froze on treesand overflows’ constant drip became shafts of iciclesLidia still bedded down in Kentish Townon cardboard under polystyrene Born in Bolivia her face lit upwhen someone spoke to her in SpanishHer heart gave out on TuesdayOn the railings a bouquet of red tulips For Lidia we gathered. We walked behind the […]
The post A Cold Spell appeared first on Unite Live.
I couldn’t go into John Lewis. Not from that door. The door fromthe Square, Cavendish Square. It was the menswear that did it.Scarves. Hankies. That sweater you liked and the blue shirt. No matterthe…Read more…
We clapped outside our doorplayed violins on the balconyclattered pots and panssymbols of resistancewhile our hearts broketo the sound of sirens. By Joy Johnson, Unite political department
The post…Read more…
Out of CaravaggioVengeful son of the citygracing church wallssubverting sacred allusion.Came Caravaggio Out of the canvasscame a revolutionary.By his own handwith his own struggles.A spectator…Read more…
Every day for the ‘twelve days of Christmas’ this year, UniteLive is running a different story from our top stories of 2021. Today we look back at a poignant poem from Unite’s Joy Johnson, who…Read more…
Heads down. Hushed voices.Coughs and sneezes.Old Magazines.Women’s Own, Women’s Weekly.Flipping pages in the surgery. Your call is valuable to us.Please hold.Verdi’s Hebrew Slaves’ Chorusfilling the…Read more…
With flowers for a vigil and a sombre tone
women gathered to pay their respects.
Why couldn’t she have been left alone?
The post Our Streets appeared first on UNITElive.org.Read more…
Stretch out a hand but
don’t clasp. Seize what’s left
on the floor
against the door.
The post Have compassion for the unhappy appeared first on UNITElive.org.Read more…
In the morning the vast inspiring
Al Amin Mosque.
Heads covered feet bare.
Under the chandeliers
our whispered voices
echoes of centuries.
The post A sightseer in Beirut appeared first on…Read more…
Do you remember when
the phone plugged into the wall
had its own table in the hall?
The post When appeared first on UNITElive.org.Read more…
For ten years they starved us cut doctors and nurses who treated us devalued social workers who cared for us bosses mocked and taunted us you work with us not for us self employment became…Read more…
An old geezer down our boozer He says his name is Joe. The numbers on his arm explain A life of pain and woe. Someone said he was German – Or he might have been a Pole Who as a child saw the…Read more…
Do you remember when the phone plugged into the wall had its own table in the hall? When the dial had letters as well as numbers? Were you one of those who liked mystery and went ex-directory? …Read more…
The following poem was written by John Fyvie, a Piper Alpha survivor. It was recited by Unite regional officer Tommy Campbell at this week’s Reflections on Piper Alpha conference in Aberdeen….Read more…
Sound waves reverberated. Nation states rewarded an explosion of celebration. Medals awarded. Flags seized. Hugged around. Olympians fell and kissed the ground An explosion of…Read more…