BIG ISSUE

BIG ISSUE

Conversation
Ensued
Between me &
A gentleman

Topic was
Why this man
Sells big issue

Why doesn’t he
Get a proper job?
Selling magazine
Some say
Looks mandane

Not a rewarding job
Appropriate or proper
But lazy man's job

My reply
Better sell
Big issue
Than be a hand out
Recipient

One has to work & earn
Sweat for a livin'
Dignity of labour
Is not clomour
Can build ones character

People complain
Jobs are rare
Taken by migrants

And yet
They despise
This migrant
For doing the jobs
They reject

Conversation continued
I interjected
The man doesn’t even
Speak 'fluent'English
I asked
Out of the
600,000 British in Spain
How many speak Spanish?

For someone
Who just migrated
He can somehow communicate
But critics expect him
To speak the Queen’s English?

What is at issue
Is not his English
But that he sells
Big issue

What this shows is
Dignity of labour
Respect, fulfilment &
Empowerment

He Is independent
Is what I value
Not superficial
Issue
The type of job
Is of little value

They would call
Him parasite
If he is on state benefit

And still don’t give him
Respect or credit
For attempting
To be independent

We agreed to disagree
That is when
The conversation ended

I salute John Bird
I salute
This gentleman
For doing his job with passion

For teaching us self respect
Selling big issue
Is an idea That is Excellent