Minnie – Ena – Martha (After a painting BT Stacey Monton — Ladies on a Chorlton Bench) by P A Livsey

As the sun set ‒ shade settled on three hags – legs and
mouth akimbo – in front of Elsie’s backyard wall ‒ like
three in a snug – over a brew ‒

pegging out dripping lives ‒ bags laid on slate shaded
pavement ‒ moaning about Rita’s rising prices and Tesco’s
money grabbing machine ‒

fair is foul, and foul is fair
twisting tongues spewing soiled air

do you remember in fifty-five when five-pound-o-spuds
cost a tanner ‒ when we went decimal – the cost of living
soared – now worse than ever –

meddling Brussels has done us down – this country’s
digging with dogs I vow – twenty and fifty pence increase
on goods without a glance ‒

fair is foul, and foul is fair
consumerism’s here I fear

you seen Ken’s new piece and his wife’s not at peace –
nobody helps her at number four ‒ saw her last week
another bruised jaw – nothing changes

and the law don’t care – bobbies on the beat are rare –
snake mouths twitch ‒ dissing districts ‒ what
a show from the street’s three witches

fair is foul, and foul is fair
from my eye – a travelling tear