No More Jolly Roger
Yes, I mean no, I mean maybe, perhaps,
But the era is over. Yes, over, and out.
No, agreed. Yes, indeed. Received, do not shout:
Acknowledged that Roger's not one of our chaps.
The radio's stuck to my ear. It's the law:
Yes, negative, no, that's affirmative, certain.
Received, I mean. Yes, we have pulled down the curtain,
And Roger's not positive, not any more.
Negative might mean affirmative. Morse
Won't be mixing his words, not to Lewis. And Frost
Won't be saying Okay (a forbidden riposte).
I mean No, that is, Roger's been banned from the force.
Terror, the war on, is crucial, old chap:
We must know if Yes means a Yes, or if not,
Then a No. Or the wrong lot gets shot.
And Roger, affirmative, won't get the rap.
Because now we're not run by a simple old codger,
And now we've police polysyllable chatter.
We're uniform, uniform. We know how to natter.
Does he look like a terrorist? Shoot him, then. Roger.
Click here for The Guardian article – scroll to the bottom of the page
