Marxist. Trade Unionist. Socialist-feminist. Author. Poet. Speaker. Tutor. RMT ex-Exec. Workers' Liberty. Autie. Bi. PUFC fan.
Poems and ponderings on the health crisis that hit the world in early 2020.
Language Studies student Fiona Wilson wrote this analysis of Janine’s poem ‘p.p.e.’ for her degree, scoring a distinction. Introduction This final piece of work, the EMA in fulfilment of the module, asks we students to consider the question “What … Read more
Walk down locked and empty streets alone, arrive for start of shift, it’s bear-the-brunt time to serve some others’ families not your own Going from the home front to the frontline Frozen pay, now tiny, ice-cold ‘offers’, red-bordered bills alert … Read more
He was taken aback by a slice of flapjack Spliced by an iced bun that jumped him for fun And the poor bloke was wholly jammed by a roly poly He was knocked quite agog by a shocking chocolate log He … Read more
Bring your own booze Bring your own excitement Bring your own rules Bring your own entitlement Bring your own germs Bring your own immunity Bring your own free pass to party with impunity Bring your own scorn Bring your own … Read more
On 29 April 2021, Janine launched her poetry collection, ‘Unprecedented Rhymes – verses versus the virus’. Featuring guest speaker Ali Brown from Safe and Equal, and guest rhymester The Repeat Beat Poet, this is the hour-long online launch.
Blocking folk from getting jabs Harassing working people Spouting endless bafflegab While calling others sheeple Sharing psychobabble memes Spurning free protection This is off so many beams This isn’t insurrection I too don’t trust authority I want to smash the … Read more
A classic of Great British humour Slapstick, slap-and-tickle, caught on candid camera And everyone likes to see the bad guy get his comeuppance, don’t they? But there is something of the gangster genre about it too where Al Capone is … Read more
My profit margin’s wracked with doubt My tax demands encumber I think I know a good way out – Now, where is Johnson’s number? I manufacture hoovers, mate, but with a bit of luck I’m sure I’ll make them ventilate … Read more
Buy it here. Janine’s poetry is a raw and powerful expression of the solidarity between working- class people (in all our diversity) throughout history but also particularly the community resistance and togetherness that we have felt during the pandemic. Nadia … Read more
Published in Solidarity 587, 7 April 2021 Disabled people’s organisations have scored an important victory as the government has announced that local councils will no longer be excused from meeting their social care obligations. A year ago, the Coronavirus Act … Read more
The loose-tongued Prime Minister claimed that capitalism and greed made the vaccine succeed. Really? I don’t remember selecting my injection from the many assembled on a free-market stall. Not at all. And I don’t recall thinking ‘that … Read more
If you’re locked down with books and a partner who cooks better than you Then you’ll probably get through If you’re locked down with a garden it might not be so hard and with a nice glass of wine You’ll … Read more
Some people know what it is worth. Some people can now buy fresh fruit. Or keep the heating on for another hour. Some people can get a decent present for the kiddo’s birthday. Or a coat when winter comes in. … Read more
This is the text of my contribution to the debate at TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference on 10 March 2019. Hi. I’m Janine Booth, representing RMT. Our members work in the rail, road transport, shipping and offshore energy industries. I want to … Read more
What if I can’t stand the train without the carriage to myself? What if I can’t stretch and strain to reach up to the luggage shelf? What if all the outside seats are taken and the queue’s too long? And … Read more
Day 1 confined to room – no going out Day 2 do push-ups, Netflix, clean the floor Day 3 phone friends and scrub the tiling grout Day 4 a breakfast bag outside the door Day 5 phone friends and tell … Read more
Boris is sorry – deeply sorry – for every life that’s been lost Johnson is worried – deeply worried – about the political cost He takes responsibility – full responsibility – for all of the government’s actions Johnson is possibly … Read more
It’s Thursday evening, eight o’clock, no sound No passing cars or footsteps on the ground No pots or pans or cheering to be found As nobody is clapping this time round When this began, we clapped them off to war … Read more
China jails citizen journalist for Wuhan reports Four years in jail for citizen reporter Who spread the news from virus-struck Wuhan Her mother cries in court to lose her daughter She showed the world the sickness, did Zhang Zhan So … Read more
On 27 September 2020, Janine Booth broadcasted an hour-long show on Facebook Live, tackling the two biggest issues of the year: the coronavirus pandemic and police brutality.