The Three Balled Shylocks

The Three Balled Shylocks

For many years before and

 after the war Britain was littered

 with Jewish  spivs  preying on the

 weak and down trodden poor….

Pawnshops abounded in all

London’s towns Shylocks Balls

hung over their thieving shops

A sign of poverty of the very poor

as worldly goods they  pawn and  hock….

Dingy windowless dumps that

 smell of fish and rancid fat, Shylock

 Jews  lived in that, just one window

 with an  iron grill to keep them safe

 from all they steal..

Women would pawn their rings

 bed clothes, their old man’s shoes

 pots and pans, granddads gold front

 tooth ,brass and copper in all its forms

Paying the rent to other crooks who

collect and threat…

Given a ticket with a given date and

 the price you pay if your time/ day  late

they pay a pittance for all that they thieve

making vast fortunes on melted down gold

for the  Shylocks are back from

times that were old…..

If I was a rich man….Peter Wicks