Ode to a sparkler
O slender wand, what pleasure looms
As Dad ignites your bulbous head!
That burst of light and hiss that comes
With flying sparks so quickly dead.
We practice chants and magic spells –
Abracadabra. Let’s play swords!
‘Til ‘one of us’, my sister tells,
Is writing all the rudest words.
And then, you’re gone. It’s dark once more.
Just wiry junk left on the floor.
Who’ll sit atop your bonfire this eve?
The current trend would you believe
Is someone famous, an effigy
A simple guy is, oh so passé
Celebrities and politicians
Royalty or sports officials
Dead or alive, it matters not
Light the fire, with them on top
But who to choose I hear you ask
Its really not an onerous task
A kiddie fiddler ought to do
Jimmy Saville or one of the other two
Henry Moore is famous for his sculptures of deformed ladies; so famous in fact that a London council can sell one for a mint of money during these cash-strapped times. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20197610
But I prefer his sheep, having frequently studied them myself from my windows in the Derbyshire Dales. No, not his sculpted versions but his drawings which grace the pages of a book. I recommend it.
My teacher says Guy was a terrorist – and
The Government practised rendition back then.
Is it true that this is a protestantfest?
No. (And please don’t breathe the smoke, dear.)
My mate and his dad made this really cool Guy,
To burn at the stake on November the fifth.
So can we have one of our own next year?
No. (And please don’t breathe the smoke, dear.)
My name is Fookes, Guy Fookes, the spook. 
Yes, Doubl’-O-K, so spell it right!
Licensed to kill, I am, and look!
I’m all tooled up and fit to fight.
You’ll want to know who runs my show.
A British ‘M’? A Euro-cell?
The Mossad? CIA? Er, no.
Thing is, I actually don’t know. Continue reading “‘A modern GF’ – a November pome”
OK, lets see if I can get this done before I lose my internet connection.
We are well into the season of mellow mists and fruitfulness, so it’s too late for that. There is however considerable disgruntlement about political happenings just about everywhere. In spades here because of the thankfully soon to be over presidential election and elsewhere pertaining to potential acts of northern British secession, attack dog behaviour of ex-pat. Welsh antipodean prime ministers, or even the fare dodging antics of Chancellors.
So how about “A modern Guy Fawkes” any length or scheme (but as always, extra points for rumpy pumpy)
By the time judgement day comes around (no not November 5 or 6, let’s make it November 30) at least we here in the US will be free of the pols. until January, when hopefully a freezing cold Washington inaugural may take out some of the weaklings.
Some years ago I bought Claire Tomalin’s biography of Samuel Pepys (The Unequalled Self) and have enjoyed re-reading it several times since. Ms Tomalin offers all the pleasures of academic study; every source is noted; every reference given its provenance. But she is also a lively story-teller – no dusty tome, this! And Sam was a perfect subject: not a saint but a reluctant sinner, living during England’s most troubled times – the 17thC, the Commonwealth, the Restoration; with politics, war, plague and fire; all played out in the heart of London. The book presents the context for Sam’s often gossipy, irreverent views both as a family man and a successful civil servant coping with the turbulence of his times.
And now I have bought another of Claire Tomalin’s biographies, this time Charles Dickens (A Life), which promises to be equally engrossing. Another subject whose life was spent in critical observation of his species, again centred on the capital during an interesting age.
So I said to Obama: “Well, some like Kofi, some like Ki.”
I’m astonished by the amount of entries in this month’s poetry competition and also by the quality. Picking a winner was a difficult task as I liked a lot of the submissions. As individuals took the time to enter I feel it polite to put the time in and respond to all the poems singularly. It was fun finding the various film titles. Remember I sit on the fence on the big issues around here so I’m not a judge. Continue reading “October poetry winner”
Just a short reminder, as is the custom, to any charitable Charioteer poets out there that haven’t yet entered this month’s poetry competition. Closing date is midnight on Tuesday (23rd October). So far, there are four entries. Two apiece from Soutie and Janus. I’d like to thank these guys and not just for the poems. Both of them have been keeping the place ticking over during this quiet time. Gentlemen, take a bow.
Details of the rules can be found here.
Boadicea's Chariot 
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