Lines on the left

In Competition No. 2971 you were invited to submit poems written by Jeremy Corbyn. The seven printed below take £20 apiece but oh, for more space: there were so many terrific entries. Honourable mentions go in particular to Brian Murdoch, Paul Carpenter, John Whitworth, Rip Bulkeley and Josh Ekroy. 

Shall I compare thee to Teresa May?
Thou art more lovely and more socialist:
More Corbynista thou than fashionista;
More fair art thou to me, in every way.
Stay by my side and be my Frida Kahlo;
Oh, come and be my red under the bed,
Or, in th’immortal words of Gary Barlow
Stay with me, girl, we’ll rule the world instead.
Join Strictly — give it everything you’ve got!
Your grace would put Ann Widdecombe to
shame —
Go for it! Put the Trot into foxtrot,
The sex into Home Secs — are you not game?
Though traitors sneer, I’ll always be your fan:
We’ll keep the red flag flying here, Diane.
David Silverman
 
if you listen to the usual rumours
spread by the old Tory blues
you shouldn’t eat pitta & hummus
not even in sensible shoes
hummus is wrong to be seen with
on platforms, it isn’t too kosher
‘the garbanzo is a bad bean’: myth
you read in a Way Forward brochure
if you’ve had conversations with hummus
& lent your best name to its cause
it’s as if you are carrying tumours
& slavering out of your jaws
so support hummus today my friend
though they lay it on with a trowel
when they denounce us, we do not offend
while they’re using the wrong vowel
Bill Greenwell
 
I’m Jeremy Corbyn, my hero is Robin
Though people believe I’m a hood;
But take it for sure that I’ll side with the poor
And all my intentions are good.