"Terrorist Lite"

Without a doubt
It was more civilised
Back in the day
Of the I.R.A.
A good old fashioned bullet
Through the back of the head
Not butchered in Woolwich
Lying there left dead.
No mass slaughter
Like on Seven Seven
We never sent ourselves
Up to heaven.
Admittedly we occasionally
Made a mistake
But there was always an apology
In our wake.
At least we regretted loss of life
So please forgive
If we took your wife.
And we also had standards
Not a backpack bomb
Unlike those sick Muslims wore
With such aplomb.
Ok we did once have cause to cuss
After we mistakenly blew up
A one seven one bus.
But that was an error
An innocent mistake
We never left dozens dead
In our wake.
And we genuinely had god on our side
Catholic priests backed us all
With their holy pride.
Now we're respectable
No more bullets or gun
Gone all respectable
It's no longer fun
Even though it's been such a blast
We recognise terrorism's
A thing of past.
Our conscience is clear
With 'right' on our side
So we unreservedly condemn you
Our past we hide
And the reason Al Quaeda we can condemn
Is because we are holier than them.

Dulwich Poet 11th November 2013

(Whilst my politics are of supporting the Irish Republican cause, this is about the 'double standards' of former active Republicans, now politicians, who might condemn 'modern' terrorists. It was a weird poem to write, as I wasn't really sure where it was going, or where it would turn.)