Then and Now

Bound to the soil as his leggings are bound with twine

The serf labours long –

Son of the soil,

He toils for warmth and shelter and to eat.

Fashion style isn’t seen in his clothes

He knows no other world beyond these fields,

Has little choice of how he lives

Just follows his family’s way of life

The well-heeled male has wide horizons

Sybolised by the mobile phone he holds

Smart in his Armani suit,

He confidently approaches life.

Appearances are vitally important

In his career moves.

He has no worries about where and when he will be fed

He’ll travel far

Both round the world and up the career ladder

For one, life is hard and short -

The other hopes his is long,

With plenty of leisure and fulfilment.

These men share their youth, but not their expectations …

Jenny Roy

April 1994