Tag Trump
… The Parrot Joins the Circus
Prime Minister Johnson and his gang had lost a succession of important votes the day before this stanza was written. Several prominent and moderate Tories who had voted against the government and against the possibility of a “No Deal” Brexit, had simply been sacked. Ken Clarke was one of those and had much to say to Johnson in the Commons… continue reading
The Parrot Glimpses Mr Toad
It continues to look certain that our new Prime Minister will be a toad. In saying that, I am thinking partly of Mr Toad of “Wind in the Willows.” I am also mindful that the UK ambassador in Washington, Mr Kim Darroch, has just resigned, due to being betrayed by some colleague, and to the fact that, afterwards, when Mr… continue reading
The Parrot on Maybot and the Minotaur
This stanza is obviously about Trump’s State Visit to the UK, already started. It is astonishing the space we in this country continue to give to blatant felony and the lie and to the creatures thereof. The more space we give them, of course, the more they grow, like Tiddalick the frog. Is this visit from America’s minotaur the Maybot’s… continue reading
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 the Making of the Western World.” The distance between our two… continue reading
The Soaring Bird
The soaring bird did ok last night. It soared all round the Clifton branch of Waterstones. So did the name of the late Pat Boyden, to whom the book is dedicated. Even Maybot and the American Minotaur made an appearance, since this is the world we live in now, but they were each well in control for a change… continue reading
Parrot Counts the Cost of Youth
It struck me hard yesterday, that issues that are dominating our lives (or at least mine – unhealthily so) – such as Trumplestiltskin in America, Brexitosis in the UK – appalling both – are actually just inexcusable distractions from issues and crisis far larger and more important – for instance global warming and mass extinctions of species, and so on.… continue reading
The Parrot Seeks a Cage
Here is that parrot again, bird of paradise, thundering from his cage in rhyme royal, claiming his liberty to speak his truth. He fears for his young and sees no true or worthy leaders anywhere, merely creatures of self-interest seeking their own gain from our flounderings in the valley of the shadow…
Or put it another way : where’s the… continue reading
Parrot Addenda
Since the Summer of 2018, I have been writing a series of stanzas in rhyme royal, mostly on the subject of Brexit. Each has been written as a separate item, rather than as part of a longer poem. They were produced in response to, and often very soon after, various events and announcements that occurred during the weeks concerned, in… continue reading
T-Bone Trump
I have written these lines in recognition of Mr Trump’s Summer visit to the UK. But what is there to recognise, in truth, behind the crass appearances presented on TV ? The squalling baby in nappies above the London skylines ? The humiliation of this small nation as it rolls out its expensive red carpets and ceremonials for this preening… continue reading