1376 - World Cup in motion

The World Cup in South Africa’s begun
It’s a four-yearly football tournament
In eight years’ time it could be in England
But for now it’s on the ‘dark continent’
For the first time ever. The first day went
Smoothly: two drawn games in the host team’s group
South Africa and Mexico had spent
Ninety minutes and then could only droop
At the final whistle, completely pooped
Later, France and Uruguay both came on
And bored us with nil-nil. One man was sent
Off: Wayne Rooney, take note! But there’s no hope
For England this time, is there? It’s no fun
Supporting them; it’s closer to torment

1375 - Rhythm is free

Rhythm guitar, this could be the answer
To all of life’s woes, making my life swing
I think maybe that my rhythm guitar
Could speak for me better than words that bring
Division, endless misunderstanding
For rhythm cannot be misunderstood
It is of the body, not of thinking
And so, like sport or dance, like leaves and wood
It unites through beauty, is clearly good
And can’t be opposed by religion or
Nationality. Without words, it sings
And stimulates the brain, muscles and blood
Ultimately, in times of debt, it’s far
Better to develop natural things

1374 - The heart of Spain

Life’s just like a night in a cheap hotel
Said Santa Teresa de Ávila
In between bouts of ecstasy. Her well-
Connected parts were collected after
Her death and exhumation, such as her
Arm and even her heart; both still preserved
In precious reliquaries. Spanish flair
For religion and art were both well-served
With these exhibits, and they also proved
Their morbid nature. Martyrs drawn by El
Greco or Ribera; death and torture
Velasquez’s ordinary poor folk have moved
The ages, as have his royals who fell
Into harsh decline with all España

1373 - God comes to Norwich

The year of the Divine Revelations
Was 1373, in Norwich
A lady hermit received these visions
And later wrote them down. She lay there, sick
And as she lay, she thought such fantastic
Thoughts that they surely had to be divine…
Such positive thoughts for a Catholic
For instance, we’re forgiven for all sin
And God really is love; anger is mine
And yours, but we grow out of it. Julian
Of Norwich, female medieval mystic
Also saw the divine as female, in
An early feminist theologian
Kind of way, an ancient to modern bridge

1372 - What the hell...?

We’re all going to hell in a handcart
We’re all in debt and can’t afford to live
My ex-wife has turned into an old tart
And when I’m dead no-one will even grieve
But things could be worse, so why not just laugh
When England lose in the World Cup, chuckle
Kiss a girl when you feel like you might heave
Run a marathon when your knees buckle
Creep up to your hated boss and tickle
Go to the Red Sea and blow till it parts
Get pubs to serve up their beer in a sieve
Heat your house until you hear flames crackle
On a date eat beans on a plate and fart
If you have a baby girl, call her Steve

Apologies again

Sorry folks for those whose comments keep coming up in far eastern language. I hope I will be able to fix this eventually.

Thanks

Tony

1371 - 6th of the 6th (no. 66)

It’s the sixth of the sixth, and sixty-six
Years since D-Day, the invasion of France
By Allied forces, from Pegasus Bridge
To Ste-Maire É glise; paratroopers land
In darkness to secure beach heads, so sands
Could be crossed safely at dawn. Omaha
Was a death-trap for the Americans
Because their tanks sank and they lacked cover.
Better served with equipment, though, further
East at Sword and Juno Beaches, new tricks
With flail tanks detonating mines; advance
Was easier towards Ouistreham for the
Canucks and their partners, the fighting Brits
The locals proffered wine by way of thanks