There's a town somewhere in England

In last weeks Northants Evening Telegraph I was pleased to read that Corby taxi Driver Michael Pike has had his work published in an anthology “People and Places”. It is refreshing that a working-class lad has received recognition. His poem “Corby Town” is about the history of the area and, although it relates specifically to Corby, its message could be reproduced for towns and cities across the country that have been built through the hard work and sacrifice of ordinary working people, from whatever part of the country (or the world) they are from.

Corby Town

There’s a town somewhere in England
Built from the grinders wheel
Grew from digging ore
And the folk that made the steel
And the light from the
Furnace candle shone
That lit the sky from
Dusk till dawn

And the town grew bigger still
By the hands of hardy folk
That grafted out a living
Amidst the noise and the smoke
But then the works were closed
Many tear was shed
For it’s hard to set a table
With little meat and little bread

But carry on regardless
With music, song and dance
OK the works are gone
It never was our last stance
Now many a different culture
Arriving in our town
Most will welcome with open arms
And ignore the bigots frown

So most of it come thro’
Played with the hand been dealt
For Corby has a pulse
Just crying out to be felt