Israel, Israel, chosen but to suffer
Surrounded by enemies evicted
To make room for yourself on the land where
You once conquered through deep wounds inflicted
But from where many then emigrated
Or were dispersed by waves just like your own
Of warriors, devout, dedicated
The sunlit sword of Islam flashed and shone
As far as Vienna and southern Spain
You spread out far and wide, diaspora
From steppe to skyscraper, long resisted
And expelled. Then the idea of Zion
Returned to imperialist favour
And now your gates are locked, barricaded
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Friday, 4 June 2010
1369 - Crying over spilt oil
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico
That began in April, an explosion
Killing eleven, causing oil to flow
From the exploded well, goes on and on
20 to 45 million gallons
Have leaked so far into that bright blue sea
And not till August can they envision
An end to the pollution, say BP
When relief wells are drilled to lessen the
Pressure at the blowout site. It's a low
Point for BP shareholders; value down
By 34% on the FTSE
Obama's hopping mad; won't even go
Abroad till the threat to the coastline's gone
That began in April, an explosion
Killing eleven, causing oil to flow
From the exploded well, goes on and on
20 to 45 million gallons
Have leaked so far into that bright blue sea
And not till August can they envision
An end to the pollution, say BP
When relief wells are drilled to lessen the
Pressure at the blowout site. It's a low
Point for BP shareholders; value down
By 34% on the FTSE
Obama's hopping mad; won't even go
Abroad till the threat to the coastline's gone
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Problems with comments
Dear readers
I must apologise but all the comments or most of them are appearing in a far eastern language and I don't know what to do about that. Unfortuntely i can't understand them. Does anyone have any advice? Is there something wrong with my site? Can I translate the language? The commenters must be able to speak and write English if they can understand my posts so that's what makes me wonder what is wrong with my site. Does it translate people's comments into Korean, or Japanese or whatever it is? I'd be grateful for any suggestions of what to do - in English of course!!!
If my readers can only comment in Korean, Japanese etc that is better than nothing and I am still grateful for your interest!!
Tony
I must apologise but all the comments or most of them are appearing in a far eastern language and I don't know what to do about that. Unfortuntely i can't understand them. Does anyone have any advice? Is there something wrong with my site? Can I translate the language? The commenters must be able to speak and write English if they can understand my posts so that's what makes me wonder what is wrong with my site. Does it translate people's comments into Korean, or Japanese or whatever it is? I'd be grateful for any suggestions of what to do - in English of course!!!
If my readers can only comment in Korean, Japanese etc that is better than nothing and I am still grateful for your interest!!
Tony
1368 - The great wail of China
The year 1368 saw the Ming
Dynasty beginning its Chinese rule
Led by a mere peasant and sometime monk
Hongwu (or Hung-Wu), scourge of the Mongol
Expelling them from Beijing to the folds
Of the northern desert, shut out with walls
Stronger, higher, brick-built, it towers and rolls
For thousands of miles, although far from all
Intact; stolen stones, graffiti; it falls
Slowly with wind and time. Now, in Nanjing
The dead emperor lies beneath his stele
Deaf to his torture victims' cries and calls
Paranoid no more, the gain of losing
Life's burden of choice, power's chain and ball
Dynasty beginning its Chinese rule
Led by a mere peasant and sometime monk
Hongwu (or Hung-Wu), scourge of the Mongol
Expelling them from Beijing to the folds
Of the northern desert, shut out with walls
Stronger, higher, brick-built, it towers and rolls
For thousands of miles, although far from all
Intact; stolen stones, graffiti; it falls
Slowly with wind and time. Now, in Nanjing
The dead emperor lies beneath his stele
Deaf to his torture victims' cries and calls
Paranoid no more, the gain of losing
Life's burden of choice, power's chain and ball
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
1367 - Bird of prey
A lone taxi driver on the rampage
Shooting innocent bystanders, but why?
Twelve dead in Cumbria; what was the rage
And impotence that led them all to die?
A man called Birdy, he decides to fly
The nest of life, and take others down too
Wrong place, wrong time, poor souls. This man drives by
Winds down his window and fires, but at who?
Does it matter? Random revenge for too
Uncaring a world. L’étranger. This page
Will turn, but there’s no end to the story
Of disaffection people must go through
Murderers are normal, quiet, till the stage
Of complete collapse and a loud goodbye
Shooting innocent bystanders, but why?
Twelve dead in Cumbria; what was the rage
And impotence that led them all to die?
A man called Birdy, he decides to fly
The nest of life, and take others down too
Wrong place, wrong time, poor souls. This man drives by
Winds down his window and fires, but at who?
Does it matter? Random revenge for too
Uncaring a world. L’étranger. This page
Will turn, but there’s no end to the story
Of disaffection people must go through
Murderers are normal, quiet, till the stage
Of complete collapse and a loud goodbye
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
1366 - Stella, you're a star
In the year 1366, Stella
Was first brewed in Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
In Britain it has been called ‘wife-beater’
A favourite tipple of violent chav scum
I sometimes buy it when the weekend comes
And drink it like a moron, getting pissed
Well, that’s what it’s for when all’s said and done
Especially when you know you won’t be kissed
Stella Artois comes high up in the list
Of famous beers exported all over
For centuries the horses pulled the drums
Along the rutted dusty tracks, through mist
And mud, the taverns full of fine fellas
Paying for troubles to be overcome
Was first brewed in Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
In Britain it has been called ‘wife-beater’
A favourite tipple of violent chav scum
I sometimes buy it when the weekend comes
And drink it like a moron, getting pissed
Well, that’s what it’s for when all’s said and done
Especially when you know you won’t be kissed
Stella Artois comes high up in the list
Of famous beers exported all over
For centuries the horses pulled the drums
Along the rutted dusty tracks, through mist
And mud, the taverns full of fine fellas
Paying for troubles to be overcome
1365 - Manc holiday
It’s been a long day: TV, then running
In the park; then, listening to reggae here
In the flat, while at the same time chatting
To Miklos, who’s well-known on the Magyar
Comedy scene (in Hungary, my dear…)
I ate, did clothes washing, and, as usual
I had a little practice on guitar
This time only my own material
Namely, the four sonnets I need to nail
In time for Ireland; that show is getting
Closer now - a month to go. Then I steered
Along the motorway to the Wirral:
Moreton, to be more spot-on; an evening
Of poems and music…S’fun to be there
In the park; then, listening to reggae here
In the flat, while at the same time chatting
To Miklos, who’s well-known on the Magyar
Comedy scene (in Hungary, my dear…)
I ate, did clothes washing, and, as usual
I had a little practice on guitar
This time only my own material
Namely, the four sonnets I need to nail
In time for Ireland; that show is getting
Closer now - a month to go. Then I steered
Along the motorway to the Wirral:
Moreton, to be more spot-on; an evening
Of poems and music…S’fun to be there
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