By John Silverton
Beside the river Don lie lofty moors and wooded dales,
Until the morning mist fades and gradually unveils
A city, crafted from centuries of unrelenting toil,
By brusque speaking men born on Yorkshire soil.
Men who sweat and labour cheek-by-jowl
From early morn until the hour of the owl,
In mills that smoke and peal with tireless industry,
As generations have done throughout Sheffield’s history.
Renowned for specialist steels, Sheffield Plate and cutlery,
The city was built on a muck-an-brass philosophy.
Now, its centre has rid the scars of industry and wars
With diverse shops and parks: for people and their cars.
There’s a City Hall with concert orchestra and Steinway,
Where symphonies compete with burlesque of local palais.
And a cathedral, by gum; theatres and eminent university
Built from the endeavours of Sheffield’s ‘Men of Cutlery’.
Few Conservative politicians have from Sheffield came,
Fewer lay claim to careers ‘Made in Sheffield’ to their name;
But they too can be labelled ‘Men of Cutlery’.
Born with silver-spoon in mouth from regions mainly southerly,
With forked-tongue they promise laissez-faire,
And lower taxes when elections are to declare,
Their words waft a-blow and die like autumn leaves
To drop unheard upon Sheffield’s blue-collar ears.
They seek to climb the blue establishment hills
Then look down their nose at the anachronic mills.
At Party Conference they rise to speak
And laced with claret fluidly preach,
Whilst armed with knives of Sheffield steel
To stab the backs of objectors to their spiel.
Conductors all, orchestrating political downfall
Courting the hoi polloi who ne’er attend concerts in City Hall.
They plot to shroud each poignant issue
As morning Sheffield, veiled in mist from view.
Lobbying self-interest with deceitful skulduggery
They use the working men in mills to feed their mouths,
And not just with their cutlery.
Author Bio:
John Silverton is the author of A Pearl Amongst Oysters, a passionate suspenseful interracial romance spanning fifty years and two continents, available in paperback from Amazon Books.
A collection of short stories will be published later this year. John is twice winner of the Anderida Writers short story competition, 2024 and 2026. A second novel, a crime thriller set in the art market, will be published in 2027.
Contact Author:
Email: johnsilverton@hotmail.co.uk
