Basic income conference in Ireland

Written in 2008 not published.

Goodbye to Australia forever
and farewell to Botany Bay
I’m off to Europe to find fame and fortune
so please, just get out of the way.

Goodbye to your tired old means testing,
your worn out ideas and obsessional fears
have reduced me to tears
you’ve no idea that they’ve had their day.

I’ll be dealing in Euros and pounds
far away from those small-minded clowns
ensconced in their cities and towns
sustained by sanctimonious frowns.

We’ll be speaking of universal payments
of caring and sharing, preparing and daring
of finding a place for all residents
not searching for malingers and dissidents.

We’ll talk about tomorrow’s citizenship
of social and economic rights for all
for rich and poor, for weak and strong
of equality; and righting wrong.

Basic income is about trusting each other,
neighbour, stranger, friend, sister or brother
to contribute what we should to the general good
and take what we need, not glorify greed.