Punk Site Poetry With Cherry B: Iffy & Classic Christmas Cover With Peesh

Our punked up pumped up performance poet, who has been described as the The Punk Pam Ayers and The Cockney Cooper Clarke, has returned with Iffy, her latest exclusive poem for The Punk Site. Cherry B straddles the Shakespeare themes of comedy and tragedy, teasing with laughter, then taunting those undesirables in society. One half of the unique Cherry & Peesh, who have embellished the punk ‘n folk scene with melodical tales and catchy tunes for the past four years. Travelling all over the country, performing at prestige gigs and festivals. Author, writer, poet, psychotherapist, professional swearer, dyspraxic and opinionated, words that define and illuminate qualities that feature within the personality of Cherry B. As it’s the festive season Cherry & Peesh have also released a festive cover of Fairytale Of New York, the classic 1987 Christmas single by The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl.

“A topical poem based on the classic poem by Kipling. I don’t even name who it’s about, but it’s easily worked out. It took me ten minutes to write this, when inspired creativity flows fast. Benjamin Zephaniah also did his own version of called ‘what If’  about Governments and societies, very much worth a read.” (Cherry B)

If you can keep your head, 

when all around you others are partying in your home

And you dress up like a copper, 

but you look like a fucking gnome.

If you can trust your closest allies, 

in those you share your plans and goals

And the businesses that fund you, 

are the strings to your puppet dolls.

If you can stand at a podium and address the wider nation

But you cannot find the simple words to explain your own causation.

If you can make a promise with one hand, 

but the other flails and flaps

And you push through pointless policies

to fill the cracks and gaps.

If your plan b had proper existence 

and not made up on the spot

And the lies that fuel your fire 

are the reassurances that we got.

If you can bare to show your face when you have fucked this country off

Yet you parade around all cocky, like an impatient Molotov 

If you can hold your head in public, yet defy to hear the truth

And the blatant breaching of your own rules, 

is like a comedy spoof.

If you can dare to take the praise, 

and the fuck ups are down us

Then you are a Tory PM my son, 

and there is nothing more to discuss.

Cherry B‘s collection of poetry and lyrics, Job Lot Of Rhymes, is now available via Flapjack Press. Job Lot Of Rhymes spans three decades of Cherry B’s performance work. Political, societal and inclusive, it is uncompromising and passionate punk ’n roll poetics firing from the belly of social conscience. Cherry B also appears on her monthly radio show on Totally Wired Radio, Poetry Is The New Rock ’N Roll, that offers an hour of lyric led, spoken versed, genre smashing, musical adventure into the exploration of hidden poetry, that is often camouflaged behind powerful rhythms and riffs. Named after one of their own songs, Cherry & Peesh will travel through the decades and diverse styles to discuss and dissect the meaning of rhyme as reflected by songwriters.