Look at me, reduced to chanting
“Ceasefire now” 
with hundreds through Soho Hill 
where Kathryn Dayus’ mum and sister were killed 
in the blitz in Birmingham in 1941.

Look at me, reduced to holding my placard 
saying “Free Palestine”
while sheepish sullen shoppers 
gawp at us as they hurry home 
to Mrs Brown’s Boys and Love Island.

Look at me, reduced to writing a letter 
to my MP McCabe 
asking why on earth he said at our Labour Party meeting 
that the BBC is a Hamas mouthpiece.

Look at me, reduced to turning off Al-Jazeera 
‘cos I cannot bear looking at the death and destruction 
as 15,000 children are killed 
in the Gaza blitz.

Look at me, reduced to posting tweets 
expressing my hatred 
for the Israeli government, 
which I have designated a state terrorist organisation.

Look at me, reduced to impotent fury 
at the complicity of the Conservative and Labour parties
of my country
in the slaughter of the innocents.

Look at me, reduced to scouring the pages of the Morning Star, 
the only paper with the guts not to be afraid 
of accusations of anti-semitism 
for reporting the truth.

Look at me, yes, look at me, 
reduced to writing this bloody, 
blood-drenched poem.

Andrew Nickson is Honorary Reader in Public Management and Latin American Studies, University of Birmingham, England.

Poetry submissions to thursdaypoems@gmail.com