870 - The buck stops here

Blue skies over the White House, over there
In Washington DC, US of A
‘Obama, Obama…’ was in the air
Believers or not, all were asked to pray
Historic rituals observed, the way
Is now clear for change, this time from below
Like Carter, will Barack be blocked? Will a
More democratic democracy grow?
He really is a motherless child; so
Young when his father died, and neither pure
Black nor white; grew up in Indonesia
Been to Hawaii, Harvard and Chicago
With widespread roots he reaches everywhere
Today he starts dealing with his in-tray
Wed 21 Jan 2009

739 - Barking mad

The time is drawing near, it’s here again
American election time is nigh
When they must choose Obama or McCain
Some of the things they say just make you sigh
Barack’s attack’s been knocked back somewhat by
The Sarah Palin news phenomenon
‘Pit bull with lipstick’ her convention cry
That’s ‘pit bull,’ not ‘pig,’ Barack. Listen, man
Or else she’ll maul ya, for all your elan
They don’t care, those dogs, they’ll cause you such pain
As their teeth clamp tight on your neck. Goodbye!
Or will Obama be like Superman
Saving America from a villain?
We won’t be sure whether to laugh or cry
Fri 12 Sep 2008

691 - Calmer about Obama

Barack Obama drama as we see
The man in Europe, visiting Gordon
Having already seen Blair previously
And afterwards meeting Dave Cameron
Prior to this, big rally in Berlin
And daring to hobnob with Nicolas
Sarkozy; cosying up to Frenchmen -
Whatever next? Meeting the ruling class
Preparing for power; change, but not fast
Above all, no threat to democracy
No radical wealth redistribution
Looking to future, aware of the past
Seeking to represent stability
And Anglo-American tradition
Sat 26 July 2008

669 - Freedom's yoke

Fourth of July, old anniversary
Of independence from the British rule
With similar feelings in Zimbabwe
Yes, colonisation it sure ain’t cool
But freedom brings responsibility
The kind that we all face when leaving school
When left to ourselves we can’t always see
What our next move should be, and can be fooled
By short-term gain, paid for expensively
In later years, as long-term debt accrual
Devours that freedom, causes enmity
And hardship, civil war, long-running duel
Between future wealth and immediacy
Yes, freedom often is a tarnished jewel
Fri 4 July 2008

551 - You mustn't speculate to accumulate!

The US sub-prime mortgages collapse;
The rising energy and food prices;
The struggling pound and dollar: all perhaps
Made worse by Wall Street and City vices.
Banks speculating, hedge funds; the dice is
Rolling. Football and rugby bets today?
They look like winners. So greed entices
Risky practices, for which we will pay.
The fact is, money needs care, so obey
The rules of economics, that’s the task -
Not gambling, ripping people off. Crisis
Can be avoided if we do what they
Did in the Bible: save! Avoid the traps
Of over-spending. So my advice is.
Sat 8 Mar 2008

519 - Super Tuesday (reds and blues day)

It’s Super Tuesday 2008:
McCain / Romney, and Clinton / Obama.
McCain will win; the other two we’ll wait
And see. Neither are an obvious winner.
There’s Hillary, memories of Monica
And Bill, who, if she wins, and wins again,
Will be the White House’s longest dweller.
The other fella, Barack, might complain
That because he’s black, he’s running in vain:
No matter what he says, it’s not his fate
To win, but simply to lose with honour.
He’d need to be great to beat John McCain;
More difficult than when Kennedy beat
Nixon in ’60. It makes great drama.
Tue 5 Feb 2008

419 - Can you afford to be healthy?

Last night my son and me saw the devil
In human form, and the name of the beast
Is Michael Moore. Yet he had his revel-
ation about US healthcare, not least
That Cuba's is far fairer. From the east
They fled for freedom, loving Liberty
But finding, after they'd finally pieced
It all together, a new tyranny
The name of this new beast being Money
Bow down, oh Freedom-worshippers! Level
In theory, but excluded from the feast
If poor or of selfless philosophy
Directed towards hate and fear, civil
Discontent deflected abroad. No peace
Sun 28 Oct 07

380 - OJ's been caught. Outside court, supporters

OJ’s been caught. Outside court, supporters
Hold banners; the man is not short of fans.
All sorts of scenes are seen, as reporters
Have taught us all of his bail conditions.
I would have thought those with televisions
Would sell the things, including newly-bought
Ones, rather than watch what Americans
Will see soon. Kid Nation? They kid you naught.
Back in court, old Phil Spector’s jury’s caught
Reflecting, is he guilty? Some thought he’s
Not. What a wrecking crew of decisions.
Spectre of what he ought; spectator sport.
I’ve used the news from USA. Writers
Amuse themselves this way in their thousands.
Wed 19 Sep 2007

372 - Sixth anniversary. I remember

Sixth anniversary. I remember
Someone in Sainsbury’s supermarket
Telling me that hot day in September
2001 that the towers were hit.
I needed somewhere fast where I could sit
And listen to the news. My old green Ford
Sierra Sapphire afforded me it,
And as I tuned in, that is when I heard
The second tower had fallen like a sword
In the west’s south side. Could they dismember
It? By evening, as three stunned housemates met
To watch, no invasion came from abroad.
Assassin’s sudden stab, retreat, ember
Of history’s end and heedless profit.
Tue 11 Sep 2007

346 - Well, it's one for the money, Colonel Tom

Well, it’s one for the money, Colonel Tom,
And if you’re in Vegas, two for the show,
Three burgers to get ready, and then some,
Put on the white suit, and now go man go.
It’s now, to the day, thirty years ago
He shuffled off this mortal toilet bowl,
And while he was alive, he’d never know
Just why he had been chosen for this role.
A young show-off, and yet still a shy soul,
By chance he found out how to make girls come:
They wouldn’t miss his hippy shaking show,
And neither could Missouri fail to roll.
This man soon rocked the world, just like a bomb
Exploding outwards from old Tupelo.
Thur 16 Aug 2007

323 - The earth's a rotten apple, and maggots

The earth’s a rotten apple, and maggots
Crawl ceaselessly both outside and within,
Devouring, covering with slick black spots
And dry patches its once moist tempting skin.
Old Adam ’ad ’em, as did Eve, even
Though conscience told ’em, hold on, eat pizza
Or anything else that you want: this sin
Will weigh you down, at least until Easter.
Big Apple, un-Newtonian vista
That only goes up, even downtown: what’s
Happ’nin’ my man? Got flood defences in
Times Square? Beware of this hard rain, mister;
The climes they are a-changin.’ It’s sunspots!
It’s carbon! Where’s the sense in arguin’?
Tue 24 July 2007

315 - Before I start, I must open the door

Before I start, I must open the door:
There, that’s better! I was starting to sweat!
It’s humid because it’s about to pour
With yet more rain again, with yet more wet!
This heat reminds me: oh, I can’t forget
How hot it was that summer in New York
When the humidity just wouldn’t let
Me do much at all; certainly no work.
We detest a siesta; we don’t talk
Of slackening or sleeping! We call for
Cool air-conditioning, and then we get
Back down to it like mad dogs. We don’t shirk!
(Inspired by ironing a shirt or four
To Noel Coward tunes in summer’s heat.)
Mon 16 July 2007

303 - Hail to Americans, not to the chief

Hail to Americans, not to the chief,
Nor to abusers of democracy
Who vote according to selfish belief,
And not for the good of society.
Just how richer should corporations be,
And if they don’t pay tax, what good are they?
No: all they do is fight aggressively
For market share, both near and far away.
While the eagle holds economic sway,
Its airborne shadow falls on rock, on leaf,
On city and on child, over the sea,
Over the hills, both near and far away.
There’s no getting away, there’s no relief,
Except for today: so let’s be happy!
Wed 4 July 2007

265 - I've just found out I should be moving soon

I’ve just found out I should be moving soon
From this flat in Salford back to Wilmslow.
The buyer’s told me the 15th of June
Is the exchange date; that’s when I should go.
I’m leaving all the furniture, you know;
That should make my move easier by far.
The clothes I never wear, I think I’ll throw,
And just take whatever fits in my car.
I’ve no place to go that’s particular,
It seems: I’ve had eighteen addresses, strewn
All around Manchester, and long ago,
In Birmingham and Lichfield, and, one year,
On Long Island, New York … but not the moon.
I’d get sick of the cheese, so I’ll say no.
Sun 27 May 2007

196 - George 'Dubya' Bush caught sight of Tony Blair

George ‘Dubya’ Bush caught sight of Tony Blair.
‘Yo, Blair,’ he called, ‘come here and show your ass!’
‘Ha ha,’ laughed Tony, bounding over there,
Tail wagging, drooling on the White House grass.
George patted Tony’s back. ‘You win first class
In the obedient poodle section
Of the Allied Dog Show. Here boy, this brass
Trophy’s for you. Look, see your reflection!’
This was dog’s dinnertime, with affection
All round, the sound of birdsong in the air,
No pounding guns or smells of chlorine gas,
Afforded presidential protection,
Unlike his dogs of war, ragged and bare,
Running that very day through blood and broken glass.
Mon 19 Mar 2007

193 - It's kool to carry gunz an knivez, alwight?

It’s kool to carry gunz an knivez, alwight?
We love da clevah Bwonx an kool LA
Gangstaz. We wan’ wespect, we wan’ da wight
Ter buy awl of dem fings like USA
Peeps. Den dem fackin’ cweeps da pigz can say
Wot dey wan’ but we can jus’ blahst ’em. Bwainz
Of pigz ’oo tell me wot ter do, away
Dey go, dahn in da gatterz, dahn da dwainz.
Fack teacherz, stick yer fingerz in da mainz.
Fack pairwuntz, soshal workaz, dey’re awl shite,
Takin’ away our fweedom. Lahst Wensday
Me mates an’ me opened up dat kidz’ veinz
Ahtside skool wiv a kitchen knife. Ya might
Catch it on YouTube. Ha! We made ’im pway!
Fri 16 Mar 2007

141 - The great oil-burning bush will speak tonight

The great oil-burning bush will speak tonight
And dispense scripted wisdom right on cue
About how we should no longer ignite
The black gold purchased from folks of brown hue.
To balance the budget and stop wars too
We should increasingly use fuel from corn.
The Midwest won’t protest red white and blue-
Based policies like this, sure as they’re born.
In Salford, UK, I get up each morn
And walk to the office in which I toil
-But not too hard - where policy is drawn
Up for the use and taxation of oil.
We want to remove tax on biofuel -
We’re hoping to achieve this by April.
Tue 23 Jan 2007

121 - Oh Bay of Naples - azure sky, green sea

Oh Bay of Naples - azure sky, green sea,
O’erlooked by wounded giant vulcan peak -
I fly back to you in my dreams; I seek
Return, a surrender, where’er I be.
Oh Bay of Dublin - cloudy sky, grey sea,
O’erlooked by Wicklow Hills and long-armed Howth -
I sail back to you in my dreams; the growth
Of leisure time’s my scheme, then back I’ll be.
Oh Dame of New York - hold your torch to sea,
And light the way to JFK and Queens -
Downtown, uptown, to all points in-between,
I shall return, so let my promise be.
I’ll recross Mersey, sweet Thames, foggy Tyne,
And also Seine, Barca in Spain, and vine-decked Rhine.
Wed 3 Jan 2007

65 - The Democrats have made Bush a lame duck

The Democrats have made Bush a lame duck,
Or, rather, the American voter
Has chosen to oppose his country stuck
Up Shi-ite creek without a fast motor.
But don’t think that all ills have been dispelled
By scapegoating old Rummy, no siree.
Hanging Saddam and kicking out Rumsfeld
Is not sufficient to bring victory.
It’s not just about Iraq, but Israel.
Supporting that state is conditional
On not committing war crimes, or we fail
To bring peace, and our soldiers home, at all.
Today in Palestine more children died.
The enemy of peace is also on our side.
Wed 8 Nov 2006