This Will Be Edited Out

by Liz Gray

Photo by Gama. Films on Unsplash

Today: a poem.

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This Will Be Edited Out

by Liz Gray

 

On what you can and can’t say

Because we have freedom of speech

they will let through the words of division

they will neglect

to cut the ‘n’ word from the broadcast

they will run up the flags and salute them

but this –

this will be edited out

 

Because every hospital

is a tunnel

and every refugee a rapist

they will let through

the dog-whistles

they will platform the turquoise candidates

and ask, ‘Are you ready to rule?’

But this

this will be edited out

 

You can talk about immigration

you can talk about small boats

you can talk about the terrorists

but the terrorist state?

This will be edited out

 

Don’t mention the genocide

don’t talk about Zionism

don’t mention Palestine Action

(I mentioned it once –

I did not get away with it)

 

Don’t mention when questioned

anything you later rely on in court

don’t rely on anything in court

for this

this will be edited out

 

Don’t damage the missiles

we need to deploy

don’t mention the journalists

killed while reporting

Don’t talk about the mother

who lost all ten children

for this

all this

all this will be edited out

all this will be edited

ll this will be

ll this will

all this

All

 

© Liz Gray, 2026

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About Liz

Liz Gray, aka Sarada Gray (long story) made up her first poem on a beach in Sussex and hasn’t stopped since. She has performed at venues including a political conference in front of Ken Loach, at Leicester Cathedral and on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. She is published in various magazines including Mslexia and was Poet in Residence at a homeless project in Leicester. She moved to Dumfries with her partner in 2025.

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