Category The Lie
Boy Jez and the Die-Hards
Jez seems to believe that The Many should be listened to, only so long as he is one of them. Now, as one of The Few, he weighs his words like all the other members of that club, and The Many have to look behind his words to decipher what… Continue reading Boy Jez and the Die-Hards
The Maybot Crashes Yet Again
On Tuesday night, St Valentine’s night, Theresa May and her government were defeated again in the House of Commons. Apparently she herself was not present. Soon after the defeat, Number Ten issued a statement : “While we didn’t secure the support of the Commons this evening, the prime minister… Continue reading The Maybot Crashes Yet Again
A Brexiter Takes Stock of the Dark Star
I know that, in writing this, I was remembering a scene from an early “Star Wars” film. An ominous planet approaches. And I remember that image occurring to me, when I came across a book by Iain McGilchrist called “The Master and His Emissary – The Divided Brain and… Continue reading A Brexiter Takes Stock of the Dark Star
An English Word of Apology to Europe
Yesterday, Mr Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, said in a speech :“The facts are unmistakable. Today, there is no political force and no effective leadership for Remain. I say this without satisfaction, but you can’t argue with the facts.”
And : “I have been wondering what that special place… Continue reading An English Word of Apology to Europe
The Parrot Speaks of Fre-dom
In the fourteenth century, Geoffrey Chaucer introduced Rhyme Royal to English poetry and all these stanzas of mine about Brexit share that long established rhyme scheme. And Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales and one of those is “The Franklin’s Tale” which I love. And that’s where this medieval word… Continue reading The Parrot Speaks of Fre-dom
The Parrot and the Lie
This stanza was written late on the night of January 30th, when the Commons debated a series of amendments, at least one of which might have resulted in Parliament wresting control of the Brexit process from May’s Tory government. That result failed to materialise.
Instead, the Tories enjoyed some… Continue reading The Parrot and the Lie
Plain Words from the Cage
The balloons are a Bristol image, since hot-air balloons often appear above the city. I ought to say, though, that whatever fills the Bristol balloons does not appear to be foul.… Continue reading Plain Words from the Cage