Imperial-ism

He counts out his fortune in guineas or groats,

last bought a suit in ell-measured cloth,

gives no one an inch, lest they take thirty-six.

He keeps a gill of compassion in his ten-gallon heart,

weighs out hatred in hundredweight lots,

the chains on his soul are measured in furlongs.

He rages at metres and killer-grammes,

fumes at the litres from the petrol pumps,

‘til the fury inside explodes in mega-tonnes.