The Work Ethic
Democracy is vulnerable to viruses, health problems, cancers; to having its legs blown away, its tongue severed. It can be seen on crutches at demonstrations, on Zimmer frames in workplaces. It never applies for a sick-note or a chance to doss on a beach. When depressed it thinks of its childhood in Greek states, teenage years in communes. You'd think it would seek a pension but it wakes daily to a bowl of porridge, goes off to work whistling. OWEN GALLAGHER Owen Gallagher was born in Gorbals, Glasgow. He has family in Donegal and Leitrim and lives in London, where he worked as a primary teacher in Southall, London. His most recent poetry collection A Good Enough Love was recently published by Salmon. |