poem: The Age Of The Nuclear Family
The Age Of The Nuclear Family
Fred and Sue live in a concrete house near Milton Keynes
where the concrete cows dream concrete dreams
they drive down concrete roads to concrete shops
and buy frozen food like concrete blocks
but the local pub has old oak beams
and the kids like to play on the fruit machines
while Madonna sings on the video screen
living in the Age of the nuclear family
he drives a turbo car and there’s a turbo mower
she’s got a turbo fridge and there‘s a turbo drier
there’s Zanussi, Sony, Sansui and Saisho
and they all watch an old war film on the JVC video
but now Fred’s struggling with the spreadsheets on the Amstrad PC
he’s juggling with figures he can’t get to agree
the bills are so high they’re using so much energy
living in the age of the nuclear family
nuclear power’s alright by Fred
he likes the remote control that works on infra-red
the electric toothbrush and the ultra-violet sun-bed
has made his body brown
but it’s made him weak in the head
‘cos he doesn’t know where the waste goes
‘never even heard of Elstow
and nuclear-free and CND
are issues with which he could hardly agree
but don’t blame Fred he’s just one of many
living in the age of the nuclear family
Dan Evans ~ c.1985
artwork by Katie Warwick