Colonial Calls

Poem

Project Freeman · Colonial Calls

Hello, is that India?

This is London here

We’d like to put some work your way

But I have to make it clear

That we can’t really pay a lot

Cos things are tough you see

As we have had to give Hong Kong

Back to the Chinese

I hear you’ve lots of people

I hear you’re pretty poor

I bet they’d like some steady work

To put food on the floor

We’d like you all to handle calls

At your buildings in the sun

Cos calls are really cheap you see

Please don’t tell anyone!

You’ll help reduce our overheads

We’ll keep prices the same

And when our customers get pissed off

You’ll all get the blame

We don’t want you in our country

We’d rather you stay there

And we’ll make loads more profit

And keep the lions share

We know you don’t have much out there

So I’m sure you’ll be O.K.

If we rip off our customers

And pay you 10 cents a day!

It’s called a business strategy

You wouldn’t understand

Exploiting our old colonies

Is great for our homeland!

And we’ll keep getting richer

But we need to keep you poor

'Cos there’s loads of you and few of us

In this economic war

So, why don’t we meet in Goa?

Then we can catch some sun

There’s a luxury hotel complex

Away from all the slums

There you can sign our contract

And we can buy your lives

And we can gloat in affluence

And you can feel deprived

And the only awkward moment

We may have along the shore

Is the expose documentary

By the UK’s Channel 4!

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The Story of Colonial Calls...

The Anglo Empire, exploiting its colonies, militarily at the time of invasion and occupation, but also economically, years after 'independence'

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