“But the Wages” Although many contend You may find hope ascend To mark just how everything changes Whether the temperature highs Or the sea level rising It’s all going up but the wages And murdered reporters And talk of hard borders Sky-bound as a heavenly choir Or the stock price in Boeing The screams of the dying Or the skies over Yemen last night It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time Don’t mention the rent Or the money that’s spent Keeping the banks in good health Or ridiculous claims Or the level of blame Pointed to anything else And preachy musicians And those stuck in prison With scarcely enough for a blunt Or the pressure of blood That new hotel in the hood With an oligarch’s name on the front It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time It’s all going up with the bump in the heating bills Even though the city’s on fire It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time Higher and higher and higher Higher and higher and higher Higher and higher and higher Higher and higher and higher Higher and higher and higher Higher and higher and higher It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time It’s all going up with the bump in the heating bills Even though the city’s on fire It’s all going up but the wages And maybe it’s time
