We Told You So!

Trickling their poison from Aldermaston

To drip feed from Pangbourne ever anon

"Old Father Thames won't notice whatever is fed

And no one else knows or cares" the MOD said.

But in nineteenhundred and eightyfive

Began a campaign still healthy, alive,

But deaf ears were turned to impassioned cries

And banners waved to unseeing eyes.

When, every few years, the media stirred

The public would murmur "First we've heard"

Through gritted teeth campaigners growled "No!"

We told you so! We told you so!"

Along the motorways and roads

Convoys carry their deathly loads

Of warheads montrously obscene

To furnish the nuclear submarine.

Nukewatchers wait, and check and track

All the way there and all the way back.

Deaf ears are turned to impassioned cries

And banners wave to unseeing eyes.

When, every few years, the media has stirred

The public still murmur "First we've heard"

Through gritted teeth nukewatchers growl "No!"

We told you so! We told you so!"

Through the wars in Kosovo and Iraq

We saw the bombers go and saw them come back,

We lobbied Whitehall's thick cranium

On the use of depleted uranium.

Wrote letters, shouted, bombarded the press

On abominations wreaking death and distress.

Deaf ears were turned to impassioned cries

And banners were waved to unseeing eyes.

And now, at last, the media has stirred

The public are murmuring "First we've heard"

Through gritted teeth campaigners growl "No!"

We told you so! We told you so!"

But we know they'll all go back to sleep.

Enough to make us tear our hair and weep!

Now bombers again are over Iraq

Bombing the people for attempts to hit back

They told it in papers and on TV.

Will the public remember what they see?

We've shouted about this disgraceful shame

They can't say they are doing this in Our Name.

Will  deaf ears turn to impassioned cries

And banners wave to unseeing eyes?

Now, again, the media has stirred,

The public are murmuring "First we've heard"

Campaigners are shouting "Well, now you know,

This time Don't forget! just don't let it go"

But we guess they've already gone back to sleep.

Enough to make us tear our hair and weep!

Hazel Rennie, 2003.