Stop At The Airport Now

A poem about urban creep

Can we go on a picnic mum, just like we used to do?Take a walk in the country and see how many birds we knew.Is that an Oak tree or an Ash? Is that the sound of a lark?I want to go to the country mum, not a country park!

Why can't we go out in the country, pick blackberries and make a pie?Get some wonderful country air and watch the world go by.Get away from the traffic; just get some peace and quiet.Maybe we could take a kite and see if we could fly it.

We could look for a four-leaf clover Mum, it's supposed to bring you luckTake a look at that old angry bull; and try not to step in the muck.I wanted to go out in the country mum, so why did you bring us here?I wanted to get back to nature, the sheep, the cows and deer.

Gosh look at that great big bird mum; is it a blackbird or crow?It's been so long since we've been here; that's why I just don't know.Just look at it's great big wings mum! Does it need to make so much noise?Oh why did it have to come here mum? The countryside's destroyed.

Where can we go on our picnic mum? Sit in a lay-by somewhere near?There's one thing that's certain mum; the government don't care.What happened to our lovely land? The places where we played?Is this evil load of concrete, yet another mess they have made?

Patt Watts