Humility

They did not hate the poor. Their houses
were not extravagantly big. They did not
drive gas guzzling four by fours; may have
liked good food but never wasted it.

They did not spend a year's normal salary
on champagne, or spend their evenings
in Canary Wharf bars. They may have been numerate
but they never fiddled sub-prime mortgages.

They didn't demand tax breaks, would
not even consider making special pleas,
did not expect others to pay for their mistakes,
never sold their friends public property.

And they certainly do not run the country.
I am absolutely sure, they do not run the country.

RUTH AYLETT

Ruth Aylett teaches computing and researches artificial intelligence and robotics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. She jointly wrote the collaborative online epic Granite University, performed with Sarah the Poetic Robot at the 2012 Edinburgh Free Fringe. She has been published by Envoi, New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland, and anthologies from Bloodaxe Books and Doire Press.