Before I Was Respectable, This Is What I Did

Here I am, back in 1993 at Brick Lane in London. This is from a short documentary about police spying on anti-British National Party campaigners.

I'm in the middle of the crowd and my head, which had more hair on it (and hair of darker hue) can be seen just this side of the Kentucky Fried Chicken sign. People often ask what I did before poetry, well this was it. I had no personal hand in the kicking the BNP got that glorious day. But I was there to witness said kicking being quite beautifully administered. It was also the day I learned the alternative use for a small tin of beans. Apparently, when brought sharply into contact with a neo-nazi's skinhead skull it can have quite an effect. Especially when said skinhead is lying on the pavement.

This poem is for everyone who was there that day: A Brief History Of Those Who Made Their Point Politely And Then Went Home.