HCE received a lot of high-quality submissions for The Green Issue – sadly, too many to fit inside the magazine! So we offered some writers and artists who’d sent in work the chance to be published here on the website. Keep an eye on our social media for more great work like this, now that The Green Issue print magazine has been released! (For more information or to purchase your copy, visit our shop.)
Ray Miller
Green Friday
There aren’t that many rebels gathered
compared to back in September.
Perhaps climate protestors are daunted
by the abrupt change in the weather.
Rowan is taking some photos,
I’m mostly obscured by a placard
saying Christmas Shouldn’t Cost The Earth.
But we are not anti-Christmas,
our leader of the day emphasises,
and we must try not to inconvenience
the ordinary shoppers and traffic
by obstructing the pavement,
or taking too long to cross the road.
We must keep a tight formation.
Outside Morrison’s we huddle to sing
carols recycled by a local poet.
We hand out leaflets and mince pies,
it’s very polite, middle-class and twee,
except that Rowan has changed her sexuality.
I guess we’ve all been performing
before the wrong audience.
Ray Miller is a Socialist, Aston Villa supporter and faithful husband. Life’s been a disappointment.