WATTER

Sheffield Floods — June 2007

It were pouring ahrtat sky an up frompt gutter
an ahrtat river. It were evryweer. All that watter
submergint Wicker, runnin undert arches 
an all owert roads. It were all owert news. 
Thi were folk on Calendar waist deep, wadin
after cars that fluated like dinghies up Brightside
t Medderall. It were all dahnstairs in the'er.
Mannequins lookt like dead bodies aftert Titanic
went down, bobbin ont surface like corpses.
All at cluathes were ruined wi sewage. Shittud
come up ahrtat drains and intat watter. It were toxic.
Two were killed, swept away bit current,
an owd bluake crossint road an a young lad 
who got t close ast river erupted. I dint know em,
burra do nahr, an as quick as it come it were gone.

UNTITLED

NHS staff have been warned to expect

storm weather and floods. Tsunamis

of alcohol related hepatitis will burst

through the automatic doors in A&E.

They have been told to be underprepared

like the police for the fallout of Friday night

violence in city centres. Blood will come

like a flood. A riot of scalpels and syringes

held to the throat — Give us your money,

you bastards, or we'll burn you. The Fire Brigade

are on strike. 999 is a disconnected number

and nobody gives a shit if you die.

In Westminster MPs stand on the roof

catching fivers in nets. The bonfire of services

turns ash into cash and the unscorched snatch it.