Sacrificial Lamb for Longbridge

They buried my town
knocked much of it down.
A reinforced concrete monstrosity
has taken its place.
"It will be fun!" they said,
"To shop in the dry
and meet under the palm trees"
We cannot deny
that it was rather exciting.
But the town's traders were excluded,
and watched in dismay
as the bulldozers wiped away
livelihood and memories.
They took their compensation
and called it a day,
and wished there had been another way
For this thing called progress.

Green railings in Smith Street,
where we parked our minivan
The wall near the Old Fire station
urging us to "End Vietnam".
The Nags Head,
The Rising Sun.
The Liberal Club,
and many homes.
Now just a memory,
buried under the ringway
or somewhere close by.
They call it progress.

Tuesdays and Saturdays
We would go to the market
'Rum and butters' from the sweet stall
Avoid the empty-eyed glare
of the rabbit
hung by his feet.
We buy fresh fish from Fred.
They took away his caravan
with no running water.
Put him in the food hall,
with a purpose-built stall.
Until they flattened it all
and exiled the market
To build Debenhams department store
with an upper and lower floor.
The clock has never been since.
They call it progress.

Now St Michael is abandoning town.
Closing the store - shutting it down!
Nearby is a newer branch
on the grave of the car plant
It really is a great pity,
To move to the second city...
But  M & S must balance the books.
Forget the awful styles and looks
of the clothing in the Redditch store
that not even your granny would adore.
The two things are not connected...
Three hours free parking at our new store
acres of carpeting
and room for more
stock, and a wider range.
"Yes", they say, "It is a shame,
But M & S are not to blame
You really must come
It's not far to the edge of Brum
Just three stops up the line"
Your frozen food will be just fine.
They call it progress.

Now The Gateway has got the go-ahead
On the eastern edge of town.
The lorries will thunder along the A435
However, the developers firmly maintain
Only four lorries will pass as you eat your tea
"You are out of your tree"
say those who live in the vicinity.
Bromsgrove and Stratford snigger up their sleeve
at their simply excellent wheeze
They avoid the noise and pollution,
while they rake in the remuneration.
and call it progress.