Month: October 2019
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The Parrot Gives a Lecture
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When this stanza was written, the UK’s Mr Toad was still working to meet the deadline for his “deal” for Brexit. A deal achieved in a matter of days, following all sorts of disgraceful and hooligan goings-on, such as unlawfully proroguing Parliament, etc. And the EU seemed to be co-operating with him in this horrendous…
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The Parrot Finds Himself Ahead of the Law
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Has the parrot started confusing himself with Dr Who ? And his cage with the Tardis ? One thought here is that – post computers and social media etc – we are settlers in the new country, the new world, which these discoveries have made for us. Essentially, we are still strangers in it and…
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Eye to Eye with a Right Hon Toad
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This latest stanza was written after news came though yesterday evening that Damian Green MP had spoken with Mr Toad MP, Prime Minister, “eye to eye” and been reassured by the Toad’s word on it. But Mr Toad does not have a word. Does Mr Green ? See the link to the relevant article here. …
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An Exhibition of Bilingual Poems
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I’m uploading below a set of photographs of an exhibition I organised a few months ago, in Clifton Cathedral, Bristol. The picture above is just one example. Several pictures show, as this does, how the exhibition looked in its setting. Several more show single poems close up, the words made somehow even stronger in their…
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The Comfort of the Cage
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This was written on a day (Tuesday October 8th) when the UK news gave cause for yet further despond, alarm and shame, but as Dr Doombeetle says, it will all be someone else’s fault, as always. And Jez ? Those female MP’s facing de-selection ? Good one Jon. Good one Jez. That dreadful conference and…
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The Parrot Mourns, the Bell Tolling
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It’s become a truism that, following the 2016 EU referendum, the UK has been split essentially in half. The “Leave” half – if half is what it is – is “led” now by an Etonian felon. It seems very possible, even likely, that – post-Brexit – the country will fragment yet further, from small ship…
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Parrot Returns to Number 10
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The Parrot has dropped by at Number 10 once before, and quite recently. But this stanza probably belongs more with the previous stanza below this one, than with his first visit. It’s a matter of perching carefully on a window still, out of sight. The parrot does not request entry at the front door. He…
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The Parrot Cries Out
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The Tories were holding their annual conference. The “Get Brexit Done” slogan was everywhere and government sponsored adverts supporting Brexit were apparently going up in primary schools. The toad was leaping about to toadie applause, the beetle was sidling about to toadie terror. The rain was lashing down. The climate crisis was being fought over………