Rose-tinted reminiscence has its place I agree,
But stare out of one eye and one view will you see.
Some see a Newry – nice, clean and neat;
They’re wearing blinkers, ignoring the sh*t on the street.
With this bold statement you might not agree
But have a look around – the sh*t is there to see.
Drunkards, muggings, stabbings all rife,
Sadly becoming just part of Newry life.
Gangs of local hoods and thugs,
Touting, wrecking, scoring drugs,
Theft, vandalism and much, much worse,
Every estate suffers from this anti-social curse.
‘…There was never any of that in our day…’
And similar comments I have heard people say
It was always there – but you chose not to hear
These tales of local vandalism, thugs – and fear.
I’ll not be surprised, if this piece you dismiss
But deep down inside, why not ask yourself this –
‘I have lived in Newry for many a year
Can I deny the evidence of eye and ear?’
If you can, you possess a tightly-closed mind
To those who have suffered, you are being unkind.
If it does not affect you by day and by night
Why should you care about someone else’s plight?
Rose-tinted reminiscence has its place, I agree,
But stare out of one eye and one view will you see…