I was in our works canteen when a call
Came over the tannoy to watch him endorse the new car.
As he bent and touched it, he said,
‘This product will save your area
For another decade; it will be loved
Equally by US management
And families whom its air-cooled rear engine
Will power to school. I’m saying this
That you may take a pride in your work.’
Nervous execs whooshed him away
For a photo session.
I lost my job
In the first redundancies.
‘Does the daffodil have an income allocation model?
Will the company keep you safe
In a world downturn? Will you see this factory levelled?’
Hillmans have long gone out of production.
My launch brochures in a box upstairs
With his photo are greeny with damp.
We did good work, though. No regrets.
It was true what he said, standing up
Endorsing the new Hillman Imp.
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