POETRY: LABOUR SUPPORTERS WHO VOTED TORY

Posted by Henry Normal | Dec 21, 2019 | Books

Henry Normal, co-writer of award-winning TV and film shows such as The Royle Family, The Mrs Merton Show, Paul Calf, and producer of Gavin and Stacey and Alan Partridge, among many others, has written a poem for Northern Soul in response to the recent election result.

LABOUR SUPPORTERS WHO VOTED TORY

They’ve tried flushing

they’ve tried bleach

but it won’t shift

They’ve tried scrubbing

with the little plastic brush

that matches the bath

They’ve even been reduced to

scouring on hands and knees

cursing their misfortune

It is never mentioned in conversation

It is ever between them

It is a guilt they share

They would move house

but for the prying of surveyors

They are looking for someone to blame

They are waiting for the other to depart

They leave the lid down

and feign problems with the plumbing

should people visit

Henry Normal will be at The Lowry in Salford on January 25, 2020. For more information, click here.

About The Author

Henry Normal

Henry Normal is a writer, poet, TV and film producer and founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Manchester Literature Festival). In June 2017, he was honoured with a special BAFTA for services to television. Henry co-wrote and script-edited every episode of the multi-award-winning Mrs Merton Show and the spin-off series Mrs Merton and Malcolm. He also co-created and co-wrote the first series of The Royle Family. With Steve Coogan, he co-wrote the BAFTA-winning Paul and Pauline Calf Video Diaries, Coogan’s Run, Tony Ferrino, Doctor Terrible, and all three of Coogan’s live tours and the film The Parole Officer. Setting up Baby Cow Productions Ltd in 1999, Henry executive produced all, and script-edited many of the shows of its 17-and-a-half-year output during his tenure as MD. Highlights of the Baby Cow output during this time include Philomena, I believe in Miracles, Gavin and Stacey, Moone Boy, Uncle, Marion and Geoff, Nighty Night, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Hunderby, Camping and Alan Partridge. Since retiring in April 2016, Henry has written and performed two BBC Radio 4 shows, A Normal Family and A Normal Life, about bringing up his autistic son. He is currently writing a book on autism for Two Roads publishers, A Normal Family, drawing on his family experience. Henry has published a number of poetry books.