“Every child should be able to understand how to make a profit”

and every Government should be able to reap its pound of flesh

every minister should ensure that every child

is gainfully employed by the age of seven,

tied to the system, tied to a moveable desk,

fused into the new modern chimneys,

working under the banner of better together

and sitting in their productive off hours having a second job

as informers to the State, for the reward of profit,

making sure that their parents never ask the question

of what did we do.

 

Every child should recognise the quality of yield,

of revenue and how to turnover

with contemporary and progressive protection rackets

if needs must, but of course on their tax returns we

shall call it security consultancy as we take just

a little bit more flesh

and grind them down as they reach teenage years

as they realise too late that they are now consumers

as well as being consumed, their lives worth dust.

 

Let the five pounds given to them by a loving aunt

on the first birthday be the start, (once of course,

we have taken our slice of the pie) and let them plough

into a business all the hours that the good slug like

mass that is called economy be fed,

teach them how inject capital

into the unpleasant mass

and watch with satisfaction as they

remember too late the true

lessons of childhood,

compassion, joy and seeing life through innocent eyes

is nothing but a ridiculous dream spun by the counter culture

as they try to subvert these entrepreneurs with tales

of running through cornfields

as the summer sun beats down,

where after all

is the profit in that?

 

Ian D. Hall 2015