Sara without an H > this collection: Fragments of Hell > Hypocrisy > Friendship > Possessiveness > Reputation > Status > Cowardice > Gangsta > Narcissists > Wrong > Judgement >> next collection: Peanu(t)s
Sonnet on Reputation
You cite your reputation as "nice guy",
Can't understand why this is not enough;
You must ensure your actions don't belie
Your image, or we'll know it's simply guff.
There's no one safe when reputations fall,
Ne'er doctor, priest, police nor parliament.
A deejay should rely on, least of all,
The public's view of whether he is bent.
Your swagger, your aggrandising refrains,
Like deejaying, were fashionable once;
Your flashy leisurewear and golden chains,
Made popular by Britain's biggest nonce.
If anything a deejay must try hard,
Lest he, by others' shitty reps, is marred.
© Sara Nicola Ruth
Background to the poem
“Nonce” is British prison slang for a sex offender, usually a paedophile. It’s an abbreviation of “nonsense crime” ie. a crime which doesn’t gain you anything, as distinct from sensible crimes like armed robbery or murder.
Jimmy Savile (1926-2011) was the worst sex offender this country has ever seen with hundreds of known victims spanning six decades. Among his victims were children, the disabled, hospital patients and even corpses. He was able to get away with abusing the vulnerable for so many years due to his reputation as a charity fundraiser and friend of royalty, politicians and celebrities. He died before his crimes were made public.
Savile invented DJ-ing (he was the first person to use two turntables to achieve continuous play) and originated white men wearing shiny, synthetic tracksuits and heavy jewellery.
Since the scandal broke several of Savile’s Radio 1 DJ colleagues, in addition to other household names from the world of light entertainment, have been convicted of sexual assaults dating back to the 70s and 80s. The reputation of the BBC, whose executives covered up these crimes for decades, will never recover.
Sara without an H > this collection: Fragments of Hell > Hypocrisy > Friendship > Possessiveness > Reputation > Status > Cowardice > Gangsta > Narcissists > Wrong > Judgement >> next collection: Peanu(t)s
Sara Nicola Ruth 