A poem I was inspired to write when sitting in Starbucks between lectures.... The Highway Manufactured faces, factory-line expressions, cast Their gazes, averting eyes from strangers, Transfer money, gulp their cups of caffeine, Back to work. Cycle repeat. It’s the modern way. But from Avebury down to Glastonbury, On the turnpikes and in the fields, From the festivals and all-night raves, to the circles At the stones; they looked for another life, Stuck two fingers up to Starbucks, And chose, not your way, but the highway! Now you criminalize communities, travellers Ain’t welcome, beat them on the Beanfield, Tell us property’s not theft; well Why do I feel robbed? Criminal Justice? Where’s the justice? Justice for the criminals in the Commons, And your coffee-house bourgeoisie - Is it a crime to want to LIVE? I see the way you live - Manufactured faces, factory-line expressions; Imagination cannot be moulded! Avert your eyes from strangers, You stand alone. Transfer money, capitalism running on coffee, Your stock exchanges spin in circles, I’m getting dizzy - Let me off! LET ME LIVE! I’ll take the highway…
Good poem Phoenix. "Imagination cannot be moulded!" I Love this line. This is what social commentary poetry is all about. I'm with you on this one. According to some of my Rastafarian friends this is "Free Speech" not "Free dumb". Blessed Love and Nuff Respect.
Yeah man... I feel you. The problem is, sometimes I feel like I am one of the ones with the factory line expressions. God, let a few years pass and hopefully I will be as free as I am now and not molded into one of them.
If starbucks coffee actually tasted good, the success of the company might be justified. They do seem to represent the power of corporations today, and you draw upon it well in your work, here. I love the personal touches you use throughout… to me they’re what makes the poem as good as it is. Also, you’ve got good technique, but it’s that first stanza that takes the cake, imo… great pauses and language! Thanks for this one, enjoyed it mucho!
I think we all have moments of feeling like that, I know I do. It's what we do with those moments that count, can we use them to break free?
sal! wow! that's some goood sheeet. i can really feel your passion and anger. starbucks sucks. especcially their prices. argh at commercialism and materialism. hmph. you got me remembering to stop being caught up in the flow of rountine death.
I am actually quite a fan of the Levellers, though I didn't use them for my inspiration. My inspiration was more from my experience with New-Age Travellers, and also from observing the materialistic life cycles that people get stuck into, and how they hate/fear those who have managed to break free from it, to the extent that they will attack them. I'm particularly saddened by the current climate of racism against 'Pikeys'. I can see why you might think it's Levellers inspired though, they did write a song about the Battle of the Beanfield....
