"cladding" poems
Who needs terrorists?
They are redundant
When over 60 poor people
Can perish
In a raging inferno
Caused by their own council.
For years the resident action group
Were poo pooed by the authorities
With, “Don’t worry your pretty heads!”
When they warned about fire safety regulations
Being ignored
Just like them.
No sprinklers and only one fire escape
In a twenty four storey building.
Only last year the tower was refurbished
With cheap plastic cladding that’s
Banned in the USA.
Our prime minister has been accused
Of failing to show humanity
By only visiting the Emergency Services
To avoid the angry public.
All this has happened
Not in some God forsaken third world country
But in the fifth or sixth richest economy
In the world.
For sure, that all engulfing tower-fire
Has made the blood of the people
Boil.
Let’s hope this volcano does not erupt
Like the one that caused
The London Riots of 2011.
Let’s hope our administration
At all its levels
Learns something from this:
To Care for its People.
Paul Butters
Jun 16, 2017
Jun 16, 2017 at 5:51 AM UTC
I grieve for you in the cold quiet of winter
My absent child, my long lost son
Warming my hands over dying flames, frost covered smouldering clinker,
By the wood where icy streams run
Through the shrunken sedge, and barren fields
Stretching for miles, empty of meaning.
The landscape like a worn photograph yields
Your tremulous smile, then nothing.
Here, you ran with startled steps
Through the yielding sheaves, yelling with surprise,
Chasing indifferent spiders, and discomfited birds
With hatred in their pebble pool-dark eyes.
Querying awkwardly spoken words, small
Tenacious fingers that caress and clutch
Every passing object, loudly chuckling, wisely playing me for a fool
A silly father who loved too much.
On the anniversary of your leaving I required solitude
Partnered only by memory
Away from familiar crowds, the booming, barking fusillade
Of the present day commonplace urban itinerary,
Where only the crackle of snow
And the fleeting trajectory of birds
Distracts my slow
Marshalling of comforting thoughts.
The cottage where we lived haunts the shallow glade,
A shrouded ghost swaddled by the half-light,
Positioned squarely like an old man, its cladding beginning to fade,
White branches like dead-fingers that gleam in the night.
In the closet are your dust-sprinkled toys, a yellow plastic duck,
A cheap skateboard, ancient video games,
A guitar you never learnt to pluck
A chess board on which you pulverised my endgames.
In the preserved furnishings of your bedroom
Your school work gathered into stacks
Barely visible in the gloom,
Our life together in disorganised packs
Denoting year and level
Development and academic achievement,
If any, (but I mustn’t once again cavil)
Indicating, even in your earliest years, a specific bent.
Standing on the mantelpiece, propped up against the wall,
Are brightly coloured, polished pictures
Of you. Plump, blonde, agreeably small
Dancing, standing, jumping, grinning, absurdly wistful mixtures.
A bitter echo resonating from the shadows
A cold thought darkening into memory
The spectre of your voice disappearing in the meadows
Having left all of us! Having left me!
Nov 10, 2015
Nov 10, 2015 at 8:20 PM UTC
Don't talk to me
Ye vanity
Cladding truth in urbanity
Expressions left to emojis
For Conversations we type
Reassuring through selfies
Relationships through swipes
Get drenched in rain
Get scorched in Sun
Quiver once in a while in pain
Drain out after a run
Get in a fight in real
Burst off of sorrow
Then you ll know what matters
It's today not tomorrow
Let go
Let go
O please
Let go
The veneer of sophistication
The hope of impression
Smiling through frustration
And short term-fad salvation
And if not
Never blame it on generation
For We took the turns
and We paved the path
We are here for what we chose
And we only ll be wondering at last
we always had a choice
Always...
Jul 2, 2017
Jul 2, 2017 at 7:26 AM UTC
Rubber soled trainers broke the brick
Like the boom of the people tether the streets
Tight strapped caps wander and roam
Strolling the daylight for a place of their own
Screeching and whirring filling the room
Monoxide smog frogs that cling to their moulds
We the people; hardened in soul
A splash in the distance tearing a hole
Enoch and Edna turn in their grave
Darkened cobble flattened; all glazed
Mirrors and cladding click into place
A village that weeps, constant refined
Express the formidable now done and alone
Never your own
EST marks the alleys; so nuanced, so cool
If you knew the truth; that's a tenner!
You fool
Jun 7, 2020
Jun 7, 2020 at 5:18 AM UTC
The wind chilled the dead pigeons
the chimney had long been dormant,
if they had lain elsewhere
their beaks would carried the seeds of change,
yet the graded storeys were never condemned
as long as the Portland stone cladding
was not too evasive,
growls from under the porridge table
by the occasioned Ginger
spared these absurd notions
Nov 10, 2012
Nov 10, 2012 at 4:38 PM UTC
servicemen ingested the wrath, leaching through unsuspecting bodies
in a time capsule it sat in idleness, waiting to affect their aged bodies
no safeguards were in place, the testing went on without accountability
the red dust of the outback irradiated, protective cladding not on bodies
years later cancers were reported, nuclear particles ratcheting up
damaging the organs and bones, in frail manner were their bodies
a mushroom cloud hung low, the aftermath of British testing
the servicemen but lab rats, no one had regard for these bodies
friendly fire came to Australia, back in the nineteen fifties
Maralinga a tragedy in the making, its dire fallout stayed in bodies
Sep 7, 2014
Sep 7, 2014 at 10:27 PM UTC
blame can be apportioned
on the landlord's back
a cladding of inferior quality
wrapped his building's stack
flames quickly engulfed
all the floor levels
tenants were trapped on
such unsafe bevels
what chance did they stand
in getting out of the tower
a cheap Chinese covering
encasing their bower
deaths were assured
by faulty material
much loved ones lives
seemingly immaterial
construction standards
perished with the smoke
slack council regulations
a legislative choke
Jun 15, 2017
Jun 15, 2017 at 7:18 PM UTC
It's finally spring my love.
The false promise of renewal,
hope and dreams
that survived the stark of winter war.
And once again like a zillion times before,
my mind lingers on you - my bedraggled knight.
Still reminiscing the insincere
but oh so seductive cooing
of your words whispered in desperate passion.
But every time the timbre
of that poetic song dig into
the marrow of my withering bones,
the ruthless but absolutely honest voice of it all
- my taunting, yet ever loyal sidekick - distrust
kicks back and tell me
in the clearest chime of unwedding bells,
that it was never real.
No love for real,
how hard I wanted to believe.
Believe
my heart's quest always.
Pounded down by the utmost power of knowing.
Taking down shimmering gates of roses
and mashing them all into
a weeping horrified pile of compost.
Where no new flowers will ever grow.
Fodder for black snails and spiders
to feast upon, in eager anticipation
to reach deep down, to devour
the terrified, bleeding heart
that’s buried in its rubble.
And the iron armor
cladding my spiritual self
builds stronger every day.
Polished and unbuckled.
Continuously fortifying or imprisoning me.
I move in the world effortlessly,
not one soul seeing
the tons of heavy metal
that weighs down my skinless flesh.
Bedraggled knight,
who do not know
that he still hold my fortress - my heart.
And with just one wink of the white flag
would take it all down in a rumble of tears.
May 17, 2017
May 17, 2017 at 2:19 PM UTC
cladding of a miniature kite
flying low
nearly raking treetops
figuring out all the stupid crap apps
vying for attention
flashing waste of unnecessary things
peck.. peck.. at indulge crumbs left
berried stalks on a pavement
deep fried horror slow ingest
impoverished smiles answer sewer cracks
sift through detritus of sea sludge
trickery wishes weeded out by force
probe eyes drill into sunbaked back
from across wrenching chasm scream
tearing of brown paper heard from toothless vagrant
hide a peek into auburnt stuck starfish
stand on violent edge
treble want not nearly seen
rocking wicker chair on solid balcony
light breeze fondles sweated head
curls o'oblivion study of gripping truth
I place within your palm
a miniature__kite
of such extent
its face can be hid forever
within the depths of you
Oct 27, 2013
Oct 27, 2013 at 8:21 AM UTC
see the sky .....
cladding my dreams...
see the night...
hovering my thoughts....
see the stars...
smoothing my mane....
see the breeze...
shuffling my curls....
see the clouds....
tickling my feet....
see myself.....
gliding through them all...
May 30, 2014
May 30, 2014 at 9:39 AM UTC
west london fire stories
stories i can't finish
you are in this story
what's the problem called
when the sun is coming up
and you've been awake all night because
ugly sleep sleeps all day,
and the groom's ******* are
too large for his beard
someone said no to reality
someone put the greed in poverty
but what can i say, what can i say
forgot who i was long ago
don't like who i am today
my back was turned
when the rainproof cladding of grenfell tower fell
while the london fire burned
cheap, chinese, and rainproof
that's how
the rainproof cladding of grenfell tower fell
Jun 24, 2017
Jun 24, 2017 at 8:43 AM UTC
The Souls of Grenfell Tower
1 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for their souls did not depart in vain.
2 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for their souls have been chosen from amongst other souls
3 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for their souls have been returned in the best of months, Ramadan
4 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for God descended to listen to their final utters of prayer
5 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for their blissful souls reiterated the peacefulness of 2 billion others
6 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for they proved, pried upon practicing pupils, prevent further terror and tragedy
7 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for in June, they indeed sealed the end of May
8 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for their souls showed the tweeting real duck, Londoners Khan all break fast together
9 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for they led Britain's conversation and distanced Hatie and her fallen solutions
10 Grieve not, dear families of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for their souls invited pleasant lilies, with beautiful oras, and the most famous of hellos - Salaam
11 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for they ignited the indigestion of cladding, in lowly aristocrats and their tory toys
12 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for Martyrdom was their end to a new beginning
13 Grieve not, dear families, of the souls of Grenfell Tower, for God has granted them Gardens of Eden.
Jun 22, 2017
Jun 22, 2017 at 7:39 PM UTC
sat in the back seat, watching the hills cladding SH2 go by, with a tightened silence all over my face, couldn't help reflect:
sometimes it digs deep down into me, thinking of all the conceptions planned out that i was considered to have aligned with, but can't bring myself to think the same. to what degree am i the image of failure in all my leader's and follower's books? all simply for abiding by ideologies that seem to occur naturally.
but, am i failing myself and, transitively, failing more critically henceforth, if i disavow my own convictions for sake of demonstrating love to those i care the most for? is it worse to disappoint my parents, who've thrown large parts of their lives to the wind for my sake; my friends, who've laid down their loyalty for knowing, mutually assured, that collectively our virtues are assured; to weaken strength or trust in other's eyes for the sake of my own moral solidification?
or to let my very self evaporate slowly away, a puddle left out under the bright light pouring from their hearts?
Jan 31, 2016
Jan 31, 2016 at 3:31 AM UTC
Oh Light, you travel so fast,
invisibly cladding
this planet in change which
nothing can hinder,
altering colourless night-hue
you, in an eye's flick
gilt sea's face, reveal distance,
you, more than that
touch land in filigree-silver,
melting black fingers
of mist netting dune's grass
and more than that,
your whispers to unfolding
flora in still-dark
corners make numberless
petals succumb
to your calls, sensuous fur
feels your warming
as feathery sleep blinks in
readiness to dawn's
breezy ruffles for morning
stirs wings, fins
stretch in watery beds and
more than that,
humanity worldwide yawns
at your warning
of lullaby's finish and shakes
off drowse to see
how labour for hours ahead,
can be a life-giving
force with daylight's ready
aid, more than that
each sunset aims to put end
to your daily
performance but not before
that glittering exit,
the show of best-rays taking
central stage after
which Oh Light, you sink
slowly back into
your secret abyss and wait,
for more than
unthinkable would be life's
disastrous lack
if your worthy entrance it's
cue ever missed,
and for this, every earthling
human or otherwise
relaxes while offering sighs
of meant thanks.
to Light and to its Creator.
Apr 27, 2016
Apr 27, 2016 at 8:14 AM UTC
LONDON HAS HAD TERROR
BUT WITHOUT THE DESIRE
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED
IN A HORRIFIC BUILDING FIRE
WHERE WERE THE BUILDING CODES
THAT KEPT THESE PEOPLE SECURE
IT WAS A CLADDING SCANDAL
THAT CAUSED THE FIRE TO ENDURE
WHEN WILL THE OWNERS OF THESE BUILDINGS
LEARN TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE INSIDE
INSTEAD OF CUTTING CORNERS
AND ALWAYS TRYING TO HIDE
WHEN THERE IS INADEQUATE SAFETY
A DISASTER WILL EFFECT THE PEOPLE WITHIN
NOW HEARTS ARE BROKEN
MANY LIVES ARE LOST
THE OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SIN.
Jun 16, 2017
Jun 16, 2017 at 9:03 AM UTC
Oh Light, you travel so fast,
invisibly cladding
this planet in change which
nothing can hinder,
altering colourless night-hue
you, in an eye's flick
gilt sea's face, reveal distance,
you, more than that
touch land in filigree-silver,
melting black fingers
of mist netting dune's grass
and more than that,
your whispers to unfolding
flora in still-dark
corners make numberless
petals succumb
to your calls, sensuous fur
feels your warming
as feathery sleep blinks in
readiness to dawn's
breezy ruffles for morning
stirs wings, fins
stretch in watery beds and
more than that,
humanity worldwide yawns
at your warning
of lullaby's finish and shakes
off drowse to see
how labour for hours ahead,
can be a life-giving
force with daylight's ready
aid, more than that
each sunset aims to put end
to your daily
performance but not before
that glittering exit,
the show of best-rays taking
central stage after
which Oh Light, you sink
slowly back into
your secret abyss and wait,
for more than
unthinkable would be life's
disastrous lack
if your worthy entrance it's
cue ever missed,
and for this, every earthling
human or otherwise
relaxes while offering sighs
of meant thanks.
to Light and to its Creator.
Dec 28, 2016
Dec 28, 2016 at 5:54 AM UTC
winter cocooned
the colorful buds of spring
in a white cladding
Dec 4, 2014
Dec 4, 2014 at 4:57 PM UTC
So Just Like My Namesake...
In... “ The Great Escape “...
I’m The King of... The Cooler... !!!!!
Kinda Like... " Rick The Ruler "....
A TRUE School Type Mover...
TOP NOTCH Rhyme Producer... !!!
With Tunes That Are Cooler...
Than McQueen In His Scenes...
As Yup... " Virgil Hiltz "...
Showing Nazis I CHILL...
When They Try To Instil...
Ideals That Spread War...
Where Division’s The Cause...
Because I Stay COOLER...
Than Yes... " Ferris Bueller’ ".... !!!
When It Comes To These Tutors...
Whose Thoughts Should Be.....
....... NEUTERED....... !!!!!
That’s Right NULLIFIED.... !!!!!
Just Like Norton’s Guy....
And American Types....
Whose Actions DEFY....
REJECTION of FIGHTS...
Because They’re Still TIED....
To... SUPREMACIST Minds.... !!!!!!
Whose Vibe’s To *** - ide...
Based Upon Colour Lines... !?!
While I Deal In Vibes....
Where Tribes UNIFY... !!!!!
No Matter What Colour...
Or **** They STAND BY... !!!
Because I Am COOLER....
Than... Racist Wrongdoers... !!!!!
I Move With MORE Coolness...
Than Those Who Pull Shooters... !!!!
... MILITANT Armies....
Like Those In Zimbabwe...
Now OUSTING Mugabe... !!!!!
Political Parties.....
Who DO NOT Move Calmly... !!!
So I’m Cooler Than THEM... !!!!!
These Government Heads...
Who Cause Heads PROBLEMS... !!!
As Well As... DISTRESS... !!!!!
Because They Use POWER... !!!
To Use Cladding That Showers...
Like... EXPLOSIVE Gunpowder... !!!
So I’m COOLER Than Towers....
That In Just A Few Hours... !!!!!!!!
Became HOTTER Than Plotters...
Whose Movements Get HOTTER...
Than.... SUICIDE BOMBERS... !!!!!
I’m The COOLEST of Jotters...
About All This NONSENSE.... !!!
ABUSERS Whose Movements...
HOT UP... Certain Collars... !!!!!
Who Took Time To... HOLLA'...
About How They BOTHERED... ?!?
Producers And Movers....
Who Seem To NEED... “ Coolers “... !!!?!!!
To CONTROL Their LOOSENESS... !!!!!
However Some Coolness...
Is NEEDED Like Shrewdness...
When It Comes To The CLAIMS...
That Are Made Nowadays...
... SO MANY Games... !!!
That People Now Play... !!!!!
The Type That Have RACKETS...
And Strings That Pull Jackets... !!!
On Puppets And Slaves...
Who Seem To Get Brave....
When It’s LATE In The day.... !!!!!
To REFUTERS I Say...
CALM DOWN Now Okay... !!!
I Suggest You Stay COOLER...
Than London’s Commuters...
When TERROR Becomes....
What HITS It’s Stations... !!!!!!
Or Cooler Than COUGARS...
Who Move Like SEDUCERS...
When Their ONLY Future...
Is *** With OLD Suitors ...
Boozers And Schmoozers'... !!!
Whose ***** LOST IT’s Rooster.... !?!?!
So NEEDS To Use BOOSTERS...
Like..... ****** Users.... !!!!!!
As I Said... This Poem...
Should PROVE I’m NO LOSER... !!!!!
I’m Just A Producer...
of Rhymes That Are Shrewder...
Than SCOOTER Type Looters... !!!!!
Who’s... SICKER Than TUMOURS... !!!!!
And Like... " Steve McQueen "...
When It Comes To Rhyme Schemes...
Don’t Let The Rest FOOL YA.... !!!!!
I’m THE KING of What’s...
........ “ COOLER “.......
Jun 9, 2021
Jun 9, 2021 at 1:09 AM UTC
Clatter and bang bang
living in a building site
It has to be done!
Nov 22, 2019
Nov 22, 2019 at 9:13 AM UTC