Orwell's Wigan

Up north

like a fish out of water

he trawled the canal

for literary fodder.

Absorbed the

slag piles,

heaving chimneys,

snatched inspiration

from depravation.

Some well-heeled locals

branded his work tripe

and wished

he'd gone to Warrington

or Bolton.

After the hype provoked

by 'Road to Wigan Pier'

he never returned

but took as souvenir

a pair of clogs

before he popped them.