A poem for Fairtrade fortnight

1. Fair trade It could be chocolate It could be bananas It could be something you wear It could be the s-t-i-t-c-h-e-r or farmer Is trapped in a trade that’s not fair

2. Our lives are dictated by prices. When we get a bargain we’re pleased But there could well be a hidden cost As the producer is pressured and squeezed.

3. Think of a square of milk chocolate Imagine its sweet, sumptuous flavour. Melting, magnificent, truly majestic You have one last piece left to savour.

4. It tastes rather nice (It’s a popular vice) And it may even help lift your mood But lives depend on this consumer choice Have you given some thought to your food?

5. For those unfair wages Low payments, in stages Have knock on effects, I should think. Consider the child who can’t go to school For he’s searching for water to drink. His parents can’t pay his school fees. Instead, he must pay his way. By tending to crops, tilling the fields Surely there’s some other way?

6. When you’re ready to part with your money You can come to their aid By backing the one with the logo Commonly known as ‘Fair trade’. The chocolate is just as sumptuous. In fact, it’s that little more sweet. For you’re building lives, supporting others And helping them onto their feet. M F Cowan 2010 www.poemsforgeography.blogspot.com