Poetry Corner

A Little List

(for singing when chained to the railings of Downing Street)

As some day it may happen to you or even me

I've got a little list — I've got a little list

Of all the Parkie symptoms – those you can and cannot see

And they never would be missed — they never would be missed!

There's the stiffness and the shuffling and the dribbling as well

The pain if you have young onset - it really hurts like hell

Constipation and depression, not to mention lurid thoughts

You’d think this was an illness which somebody really ought

To move up all those league tables in search of a fine cure

But of that we cant’ be sure, we just cannot be sure

[Chorus]

They’ve got 'em on the list — they've got 'em on the list;

And they'll none of 'em be missed — they'll none of 'em be missed

So please could you get going as we have no time to waste

we really must insist, we cannot bear the list

our faces turn to masks and then you cannot see a trace

of torment we are in, don’t let that phase begin

and our voices must be heard before they get too weak to hear

night terrors should be tackled as they cause such awful fear

hallucinations haunt us in both darkness and strong sun

dystonia is awful, dyskinesia’s no fun

For too long we’ve been silent and we’ve been far too polite

That really isn’t right. We’re ready for a fight.

[Chorus]

They’ve got 'em on the list — they've got 'em on the list;

And they'll none of 'em be missed — they'll none of 'em be missed

So we’re guzzling down the dopamine in all its different forms

we’d so like to desist; we’re hooked on agonists

we used to be quite placid but now fighting is the norm

we really must insist. It’s such a horrid list.

and now we are becoming the agonists ourselves

out to raise awareness it’s the illness that compels

us to do something and that something won't be small

we’ve got a 5 point charter and we’re marching on Whitehall

but when we say we’re marching, that isn’t strictly true

I shuffle as do you. And that will have to do.

[Chorus]

They’re off to Downing street, they're off to Downing Street

And they will not be discreet, they will not be discreet.

If you liked this then GLS”s next suggestion for a lyrical overhaul is even better.  Watch this space...

By Gillian Lacey - Solymar