My 'paean' to Maggie's greyed-out years
Lyrics by Jessica Mordsley
Music and performance by Mark Saint John Ridley

Lyrics:
I remember when Ken was our True Red Hero,
in the greyed out years when Maggie ruled the land
I remember her royal ‘we’ 
and the tragic puppetry
of Spitting Image. And digging trenches in the sand.

I remember seeing Ethiopians starving
stick people in a dry land with dead eyes
on the same slow static screen 
where I watched the shower scene
when we all found out that Bobby’s death was LIES.

I remember last ditch punks in Finchley High Road
with rusty chains and hair like birthday cakes
I remember Hula Hoops 
and spoiled kids who got TWO SCOOPS
and whose parents bought them 99s WITH FLAKES.

I remember hearing voices through the floor
and the smell of bygone wine the morning after
and the wooden bowl with crisps in 
and the wooden tray with dips in 
I remember being jealous of the laughter.

I remember finding fireworks in the garden
paper wet with dew and spilling blackened dust
I remember summer nights 
when the air was filled with light
And the roller with its outer skin of rust.

I remember stealing rusks and mashed banana
when I was all grown up at five years old
when some words were just too long 
and my grandpa was so strong
and I don’t remember minding heat or cold. 

(c) Jessica Mordsley 2009

Jessica Mordsley

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