Category General
Apparently, the sand martin is usually the first of the martins to arrive in the UK, after migrating from Africa. The house martins and swallows come soon after. The sand martin is even smaller than the house and their markings look similar, at least from a distance, at least to someone who knows as little as I do.
… continue reading
Moles Poem
Moles
I must keep a close watch
on the mole-hills clustered
around the fences of my house.
I feel sure there'll come a time
when moles will emerge
from those surprisingly
massive eruptions
of earth they've created -
and each will be carrying binoculars
and waving a flag.
And the flags
will not be white ones.
And the binoculars will… continue reading
Truth cf. ‘Impartiality’
This is being written a few days after Gary Lineker refused to back down. He won’t read these words, but I feel the need to declare here to whoever might be visiting my deep admiration and gratitude for the position Lineker has taken and held, both on a disgraceful and abhorrent government policy (and the motives for, and the framing… continue reading
Here is another of those Rhyme Royal stanzas. Mr Toad of Toad Hall is, of course, a character in Wind in the Willows, that famous Edwardian children’s story by Kenneth Grahame. Any suggestion that Alex Johnson, our disgraced and disgraceful recent Prime Minister, might remind me of Mr Toad, or that this Rhyme Royal recurrence might be the result… continue reading
Putin’s Mind
It is hard to put yourself in Putin’s mind. But how hard ? Is it impossible ? Maybe not. He looks out at the world and is much concerned with maintaining control and his own footing and security there. Consequently, he has always been pre-occupied with strengthening and extending borders, creating safe distance between him and Other ; and he… continue reading
Poems for the Wall
I haven’t mentioned this project here for a while. I started it over twenty years ago, now. Both of the following two statements are true : it remains what it has always been – very much a one-man-band ; but also, and from the beginning, it has received help and support from a wide range of individuals, each excited by… continue reading
