Painting out the smile

with apologies to Lonnie Donegan

The Manston centre’s famous
for how to get it wrong –
too many migrants for the space
and locked up far too long.
Someone has the bright idea
to make this place less vile
by painting comic murals
and trying to raise a smile.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors
looked round and all agreed
that bright and cheerful colours
are just what children need.
The Home Office was not convinced –
hostility’s their style.
They’re not amused by Mickey Mouse,
they don’t want kids to smile.

There’s Jenrick, in his office.
He’s keen to get it right
and demonstrate to Braverman
that he is full of spite.
He sends a gang of painters
whistling all the while
to cover up the murals
obliterate the smile.

“Cartoons” he said “are friendly.
Too welcoming, I find”
until he got a ton of flak
and sort of changed his mind.
But they ramp up the rhetoric
intensify the bile
piling on the agony
painting out the smile.