What population problem ?

Couples with too many children

old folk with too many years

overpopulate Earth unless

war or disease interferes.

'Road closed' the signage said

'Diversion' to the right.

But they moved the signs for the bus I was on

at ten o'clock at night.

Led by a 'Highway Maintenance' van

we trundled the empty lanes.

Well, here's a rare example , I thought,

when public service gains.

Christmas is a kind of game

that anyone can play

to lift the gloom of northern winter

for more than just one day.

" How Britain won World War 2 " ? ?

Let's down the spitfires and forget

the ignominy of Dunkirk.

We actually didn't win World War Two -

the Russians and the Americans did,

with help from Britain, and don't forget

the many volunteer Commonwealth troops.

Nobody mentions Singapore,

the ignominy of surrender.

We lost an empire which is actually

cause for congratulation, ceding

albeit sometimes unwillingly

worldwide colonies' independence.

Only a popularity addict

seeking votes could brazenly praise

" . . the generation that won the war . ."

 Wisdom not wealth was what I wanted 

but neither of them is what I got

since wisdom is knowing what you don't know

and what you don't know ain't worth a lot.

The selfsown poppy finally flowered,

scarlet but not the cornfield kind,

elegantly tall, empowered,

mascara marked but blind.

Four imposing petals bouncing,

spurning the honeybee's caress,

flexing in the breeze and flouncing,

twirling like a woman's dress.

The fat guy sprawled across the table,

flopping over both sides of his chair,

looked as if he was clearly able

to be regarded as slob of the year.

But when the singer took the stage,

our slob had energy restored,

waddled forward to earn his wage

and conjured magic from the keyboard.