Joe Public Poem by Paul Butters

He lounges in his armchair
Sucking on a fag
And quaffing beer.
His eyes are glued to the telly,
Watching Corrie
Then footie
Before heading off to the pub.

He feels he's earned his basic pleasures
As he checks his mobile
For emails and Tweets
And Facebook posts.

Comforts earned by slaving away
All day
For some faceless bureaucrat
Hidden away in his company's
Ivory tower.

For this is Joe Public.
Ignore him at your peril.
He has lots and lots of mates.
And he is fed up of the "Nanny State"
With it's, "You shouldn't do this"
And, "You shouldn't (or should)do that".

He's fed up too with the PC Brigade
Having already escaped the "God Squad".
But he's bloody angry
At simply being ignored.

You can keep Joe happy
With Celebrity and Social Media
And sport
And even "Pointless Quizzes".
He avoids Education
To maintain his "Street Cred".
But there will come a point
When he's had enough.
And once that happens
His festering grievances
Will surface
Like killer sharks.

And if he joins a mob of like-minded souls
Who knows where that may lead?
Perhaps to Revolution.

So think on, my friend.
Take care of Joe.
Indeed of Every Joe.
For Joe could be
The Most Important Person
In The World.

© PB 30\11\2019.