Monthly Archives: January 2020

Culture Warriors can not be allowed to silence writers

a good article in “The Times”, entitled “Culture Warriors can not be allowed to silence writers”, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/culture-warriors-cannot-be-allowed-to-silence-writers-znz2tg0qq.

The article describes how the author of “American Dirt”, Jeanine Cummins, had her book tour cancelled following accusations of “cultural appropriation” by some writers on social media.

I have a friend who was (perhaps still is) thinking of publishing a novel about AIDS/HIV and the gay community. However he is not himself gay and concerns about how his work will be received may, I fear lead to his book not seeing the light of day.

Unfortunately “The Times” is behind a paywall and anyone wishing to read articles must be a subscriber. You can, however set up a free subscription, and provided you cancel within the period stipulated on the newspaper’s website, your card and/or bank account will not be charged.

When A Young Man Named Guy

When a young man named Guy
Said, “the wicked all must die!”,
A bolt of bright lightening,
Which was really quite frightening,
Felled that young man named Guy!.

She Said to Me

She said to me
Yesterday, that she
Does not like to see
The rain.

On my way
Through the park yesterday
Slow droplets of rain
Fell from the trees,
And I heard
Birds sing.

How strange it is to me
That she should see
No beauty in these
Rain, and birds, and trees.

Barmaid

A schoolgirl you were
When you passed me by.
And I
Was unaware

Now, with grey hair,
I smile
At a girl who, without guile
Does Say
“I passed you by
On my way to school”.

A girl of no more than 21,
Talking to a guy
of 51.
Then, she is gone,
Leaving me to my
beer,
And the thought that each year
Slides away.
And I can not be certain
When the curtain
Will end the play.

Heaven

 

When a young lady came round at 7
And said “I’ll send you straight to heaven!”.
And I said, that sounds like great fun!”.
She pulled out a big gun,
And was arrested by a constable called Nevin!.

A lovely young lady named Nevin
Says she’s coming round at 7.
It might be great fun,
But she carries a gun,
So I’ll be out at 7!

When A Young Lady of Harwich

When a young lady of Harwich
Said, “leave this first class carriage!”,
An elderly gentleman named Gus,
Said, “this is a bus!
You foolish young lady of Harwich!”.

I’ve Just Released A Revised Edition

I’ve just released a revised edition
Of my book “All About Sedition”.
A girl called Leigh
Is sweet on me.
But I’ll lead her to perdition!