Two poems today, both by Adrian Mitchell.

To the Organizers of a Poetry Reading by Hugh Macdiarmid

You chose the wrong place –
A neutral room with tawny blinds pulled down.
You pulled the wrong audience –
The gabbiest cultural bureaucrats in town.
You picked the wrong poet –
Too clever too daft too great for you to deserve his
spittle

And you brought the wrong whisky
And you only bought him half a bottle.

Divide and Rule for as Long as you can

Glasgow
Trade Unionists march through the Square
Towards the City Chambers

Police. Police. Police.

And in the streets leading off the Square –
Scottish soldiers with rifles.
Live ammunition.
They may be ordered to shoot into the crowd.

And behind the Scottish soldiers –
English soldiers with rifles.
Live ammunition.
If the Scottish soldiers refuse to shoot into the crowd
The English soldiers will be ordered
To shoot the Scottish soldiers

Oh, but that was long ago.

That was in the future.

From “the apeman cometh” by Adrian Mitchell