NHS

With a bandaged head
Her friends wheeled her round
Between the roses and benches
In the shade of the plane trees 
On a warm summer’s evening 
In Queen's square
She looked at me shyly
With quiet black eyes
As her friends gathered around her
Full of laughter and smiles
Thanks to the doctors she would survive
Thanks to the NHS

Until I was nine
I spoke incoherently 
No one understood me 
So I went to Great Ormond Street
The doctors looked at me
The expert
Said I had a cleft palate
He could operate on it
At no cost at all
I was able to talk
That's why I'm rejoicing this warm summer evening
Sitting in Queen's square and singing
Long live the NHS
 
It's performing miracles everyday
That's why I pray
That we can save
The NHS 
Autistic children chasing the pigeons
On this beautiful warm summer's evening
Nurses picnicking on the fresh green grass
What price can you ask to see a sick child laugh?
Long live the NHS

In the United States
I had a friend who fell seriously ill
He didn't have the money for the hospital bill
At the clinic they showed him the door cos he could not afford
The medical treatment he wasn't insured
Such a lovely guy told to go away and die
That is they reason why I say
Long live the NHS!

August 2012