TV

Lolly-gagged babes in the wood
mnuh mnuh muffled syllableus
on blue lundis when the news is
foul not fair not failed on four
thousand different channels all
at once disseminating the self
sacrifice of papal gophers or self
serving stock marketeers' wives'
mentor programmes' progess on
the nation's childrens' issues ack!

Let them suffocate themselves
with gin and tear soaked tissues.
The anchors on the bulletins all
stare into the camera lens, bunnies
with dilated egos flapping dollars
on the ten oclock tide, ears pricked
for promotion, boxes ticked for
believable facial poses of emotion,
intoning international tragedy in
genuine swine sincere tones live
lies lapped lovingly by the coven
gathered round every family box.

The kids sip sunny D and freak,
think they're power rangers cos
the hopped up toons gesticulate
so wild, flicker and shake the tube
each way round, the moral being
the coyote never caught his prey.
Nations full of wives watch each
tiny move the catalogue makes,
maybe the latest blending micro
wave descaler slash air freshener
will make that bald waxen lump
in the living room love me again?

The ultimate prop of every home;
a talking dead machine pedestal
gnarling in the corner about goods
insurance pills toys cars girls diets
claims hardware software bonds
plans savings cartoons therapy
love healing faith grace death love
real fake on off buy sell go stop
believe disbelieve hide reveal
give take push pull
yes no yes no no