Month: January 2017

Audio

The Unknown Citizen and Refugee Blues

First published in 1939 and appearing in his collection Another Time (1940), ‘The Unknown Citizen’ by W.H. Auden can still be considered relevant and stark in its satirical treatment of the ‘ideal’ member of modern society – the acceptable, unobtrusively conformist citizen.

 

 

The collection also includes, among other notable and well known pieces, ‘Funeral Blues’, ‘Spain 1937’ and this, read by Sheila Hancock for Holocaust Memorial Day 2017. Again, as moving and as relevant as it was nearly 80 years ago.

 

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Of follies and fascism.

Despite the heartening reaction from so many quarters, it’s the incessant repetition of times like this that leave me with a bone-tired weariness and despair at the continued spinelessness and stupidity of ‘humanity’. That so many would accept the same fallacies, so often, by so few.

There is beauty in silence; but one should not confuse the silence of listening with the silence of inaction, acquiescence or appeasement. Ultimately, there comes a time when silence is submission. And with that thought I’ll leave you. In peace.

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Reflection is contagious

Fireside reflection one winter evening

I am sewing. I wonder whether it will

be of some comfort to know years hence.

The hours spent by the stove till

this record is shepherded towards present tense.

 

First a sweatshirt, then a blanket to pullover

the broadening shoulders by the fire side.

Each stitch a tie that pricks our regret over

a loosening grip; each badge a source of pride.

 

And tomorrow’s tomorrow, will they see

the same pangs or remain blind in slumber

– just as their forebears be –

until loss and longing fuels their hunger.

 

 

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What is this dark foreboding?

A crescendo rising to crash our

very being.

And rest:

for once it has begun there is no respite

or repeal.

Run free

or do not run at all.

Climb from this descent.

Tip toe if you must

but charge

onward.

 

Build. Not a

wall but the means

to overthrow and dismantle

to forge anew;

challenge this brutal beauty

beholden to its past.

Scout Purple

“It’s not purple;

it’s Scout Purple,”

Really,

is it richer? 

Deeper? 

Does it have more 

meaning? 

Does it dutifully 

denote our service? 

Does it practically 

parade 

our promise, 

our adherence; 

a simple signifier  

of our Scout values 

collated and codified 

into one 

uniform 

expression of colour? 

the Scout Shop

assistant

continued,

“it is dis-

continued.”

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Against the wall

it’s like banging your head against the wall

that would not fall

but you did

as you slid

trying to flee

all that would never be

all that would stop you from standing tall

it’s like banging your head against the wall

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