The Kemptown Verses

By JJ Leahy

Community Garden

Tardo
It’s only a little patch of ground
Where parents, children and plants are found,
People sit among the flowers, their burden to unload
A small haven of peace, off a busy main road.

But ravenous business demand this tranquil space
Another store to build, to feed the corporate face;

In the area, there are already shops galore
Cater to the local people, be they rich or poor.
A Spar, a grocers and a Co-Op too
Not as if now, there are too few;

But greedy does what greedy must,
The aggressive beast, we can not trust.

Consider the damage, to built again there
To drive out people, from their garden lair;
For the children need a place to play
And the locals should have the right to say,

While everyone likes, the calm and peace
They could buy the patch, maybe rent or lease.

The residents united, aware to their own need
Not a concrete bed – to plant the business seed;
Building shops to excess, in rows and rows
Where commercial violation stops, no one knows.

Or another odious plan, from a different beast
With a trading floor and six banks at least;

Friends of the garden lied to again and again
By the commercial giants – by their soulless grey men,
Leave the area in Lewes Road alone
No one relevant needs another retail clone.

Residences construct a communal garden in kind
Open for any good people, a place to unwind;

So fight for it now – a green neighbourhood space,
Somewhere nice, that we all can embrace.

the kemptown verses poem footer