Poisoned Policy by Di Coffey

And this man who has MS
who can’t talk, can’t walk,
has his life
thrown into turmoil
by a demand
that he should
seek work.

From whom
should he seek a job
for fuck’s sake?
Will you employ him?
Will you?
Could you?

He didn’t ask for MS.
It crept unbidden
into his life,
stole his independence,
forced changes
he could never have imagined;
catheters, hoists into a bath,
And no more sex.
Ever.

And this Tory government
torments him.
Sees it as their public duty
to do so;
They fail to check
the veracity
of his claim for help,
send the troubled man
more trouble – more stress.

They don’t do it in my name
but how can he know this?