Ken Loach- Please Be Dan Dare!

Ken, you might not like his conservative (with a small c) outlook,

his body language may change

watching your films but (for one production only)

can you wear his hat and take control,

save a million unemployed kids,

steer the craft, be Dan Dare and take Digby from Wigan

to something better than this?

So Ken, before you squint through the camera lens,

please take up Dan’s mantle, if only for me,

aged seven-and-three-quarters in Jarrow,

think Billy Casper without the kestrel,

afraid of the dark and Tories me and me da hated.

Please save us from these posh boys that make me so angry I have to lose

myself in Frank Hampson’s drawings of Dan leading his crew

against the Mekon: we need you to be Dan Dare,

“Quiet, please. Roll camera. Action.”

Tom Kelly

You will find the poem Double Bill Anthology published by Red Squirrel Press

The anthology is one of Clive James’ books of the year.

http://www.redsquirrelpress.com/JacksonDoubleBillMOREINFO.html