ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

THE BIG END OF TOWN

They walk with their hands in the shadows.
Their heads are held high in the sun.
They steal with a quick sleight of hand and
they never have need of a gun.
They never have need of a gun.

In the big end of town they are walking
and never have need of a gun.

They sit on the boards and committees
inhabiting spheres of control.
They take for the sole sake of taking,
and fix the price profit and toll.
They fix the price, profit and toll.

In the big end of town they are taking
and fix the price profit and toll.

Not all of the villains are violent
and hide their foul deeds in the dark.
With strokes of a pen they will rob you,
these men of distinction and mark.
These men of distinction and mark.

In the big end of town they will rob you,
these men of distinction and mark.

Like vultures they come to the feasting
on crumbs from the tables of Poor.
The crumbs can make loaves for the greedy
who always find room for some more.
Who always find room for some more.

In the big end of town they are greedy
and always find room for some more.

They say you’ll save country and planet
and pay the true cost for their use;
pay more for your food fuel and water
and wages by cost, will reduce.
While wages by cost will reduce.

In the big end of town they make money
while wages by cost will reduce.

Can they hear the soft distant drumming
in echoes of struggles gone by?
Just what has been lost in the mean time
and when will they stop to ask why?
They never stop once to ask why.

The big end of town they don’t listen
and never stop once to ask why.
------------------------------------------------------------
©M M Beveridge 2012

That's a good one Mal. I like the way you have used the repeats in the old ballad style.

I won't argue about the content. Leave that for others opinions, but I think it is a good
" protest ballad " Old Henry Lawson did one called The Faces in the Street, everyone probably knows it.

Funny thing Nev, I have just started learning Faces in the Street. I have also used Henry's style from that poem in a Rememberance day verse I have written called, coincidently 'Missing Faces" but it is still in a few comps so I will unveil it some time soon. Thanks for the comments.

Mal