Category Truth Telling
Poems for Public Display
I never stop yearning for good poetry to reach past its traditional catchment areas – those shelves in the bookshop marked “Poetry,” the university literature department, the dedicated arts festival, the shy, solitary and possibly eccentric brain – and find a valid place for… Continue reading Poems for Public Display
A Toad Delivers the Tory Manifesto
The Parrot is tiring overhead. He lacks the staying power of the swift and a Bird of Paradise needs a foothold on the Earth. But now he’s heard the UK Prime Minister announce the Tory manifesto for the UK’s immediate future, having first “got Brexit done.”… Continue reading A Toad Delivers the Tory Manifesto
At Last the Toad Reveals Himself
The other night, in Sheffield, there was a BBC Question-Time session, in which the audience was able to question four UK political leaders in turn, only one of whom is a worthy leader, the one not eligible to be the Prime Minister. Nicola Sturgeon’s presence there was puzzling but useful… Continue reading At Last the Toad Reveals Himself
The Parrot from on High Speaks of Democracy
As our General Election continues, and in the light of much of its content, we might ask this question : what is the difference between an election and an auction ?
Answer 1 : at an auction, cheats need to be more careful than at an election, as we punters get… Continue reading The Parrot from on High Speaks of Democracy
The Parrot Views the Earth from Afar
The UK General Election presently in progress begs the question whether there is any difference in quality of democratic process between a Referendum and an Election.
Both seem to involve a lot of lying at high volume, a lot of propaganda ditto, and various other forms of manipulation and trickery –… Continue reading The Parrot Views the Earth from Afar
The Parrot Lectures to Himself
This was written on Sunday 20th. Saturday’s huge demonstration in London was still being digested. But would it have any impact ? The right wing propaganda rags had gone beserk in their Sunday issues, more concerned with Parliament’s defiance of the Toad than anything the march might imply.
Courage had… Continue reading The Parrot Lectures to Himself
The Parrot’s Third Lecture
The stanza was written on Saturday 19th October, yet another of those “crunch days.” Another enormous march took place in London, in support of a “Final say ” referendum. On the same day, Prime Minister Johnson had been expected to present his Brexit “agreement” to parliament, giving it virtually no… Continue reading The Parrot's Third Lecture
Eye to Eye with a Right Hon Toad
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