Give me a wealthy patron to support my rhyme
That I may please
And gently tease.
But a thought most sad
Drives me mad
For I was born in the modern time!
Shal I compose jingles
To sell pringles?
Or advertise singles
Clubs
Where couples in bath tubs …
No, late at night
I shall continue to write
In rhyme
Until come my time …
There was a young man named Moor
Who’s poetry was most obscure.
Much to his surprise
Readers did criticise
So he composed a whole lot more!
There was a young lady named Kate
Who wished to abolish the state.
She became an anarchist bold
But lo and behold
The state outlasted Kate
Hobbes
Lobs
Bricks at Locke,
While Lenin’s work
Is excoriated by Burke.
Friedman stands aloof
Believing he holds the absolute truth,
While Engels continues his long wait
For the end of the Capitalist state.
—
1. I studied history and politics at University College of Swansea and read all of the below works during the course of my studies. The books still reside on the bookshelves which live in my spare room, which I glorify with the name of study!
2. Thomas Hobbes was a philosopher who, in 1651 published “Leviathan”, http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3207. Essentially Hobbes argues in favour of a government with absolute power as a means of preventing a return to “the state of nature” which is, for Hobbes a “state of war of every man against every man”. People should not challenge governmental authority as this will lead to chaos (in other words any authority is better than no authority). However, if a government does fall then the populace should give its loyalty to the new authority. Hobbes view of human nature is bleak and in part at least flows from his experience of the bloody anarchy which flowed from the English Civil War which saw the execution of King Charles I.
3. John Locke was a Whig philosopher who in his “Second Treatise of Government” defended the right of the people (if all else failed) to overthrow a tyrannical government. The “Second Treatise” was, in part at least a defence of the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688. The “Second Treatise” can be found here, http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7370.
4. Lenin was the leader of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 in Russia. One of his best known works is “The State and Revolution” in which he sets out his view on how the Capitalist state will be replaced by a socialist/communist society, https://www.amazon.com/State-Revolution-V-I-Lenin/dp/0717801969.
5. Edmund Burk is often regarded (in a philosophical sense) as being the founder of modern Conservatism. In his “Reflections on the Revolution in France” Burke roundly condemns the French Revolution and argues that such uprisings inevitably lead to anarchy and Terror. Consequently Burke stands diametrically opposed to Lenin. You can find “Reflections” here, http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm.
6. Milton Friedman was a major contributor to the free-market school of economics. In his “Free to Choose” co-authored with his wife Rose, he argues in favour of personal and economic freedom. “Free to Choose” is, in all probability the most accessible of Friedman’s works and is based on a television series of the same name, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_to_Choose.
7. Engels was Marx’s friend and produced several works of his own, including “Socialism Utopian and Scientific”, in which he criticises what he regards as “utopian” socialism, which he contrasts with what he argues is the “scientific” socialism of Marx. As with Marx, Engels believed that Capitalism would inevitably collapse and be replaced by communism for (according to Engels), the laws of science proved the inevitability of communism’s triumph, https://www.amazon.com/dp/0717801918.
There was a young lady of Dutch extraction
To whom I felt an attraction.
She was a lover of art
And lived in my heart,
But to her I was a mere abstraction!
Below are 2 poems, “The Girl Who Wasn’t There” and “Two Voices”.
Both poems can be found in my collection of poetry, “The Girl Who Wasn’t There”, which was published in September 2015 and can be found HERE.
—
I am the girl who wasn’t there.
I did not sit upon that chair,
Playing provocatively with my hair.
I did not drink that expensive wine,
While gazing on your paintings fine.
I did not recline under the quilt so red,
Or moan with ecstasy in your bed.
If, by chance, an earring she should find,
Worry not; it is not mine.
—
You talk to me of lambs gambolling, of ramblers ambling, through fields green, beside the meandering stream.
You speak to me of verdant bowers, where lovers while away the hours, in love’s young dream.
I tell you of an urban street, where the gale buffets and people battle to retain their feet.
I impart to you the wind’s loan moan, as I wander home alone, in weather bleak.
There was a young man named Sleary
Who advocated Marx’s theory.
When his ideas failed to come to fruition
He said “the people require more tuition,
For there is nothing wrong with the theory!”.
There was a young poet named Zeff
Who wrote a poem about death.
The Grim Reaper heaved a great sigh
And said “I have long pondered on why
You poets are so obsessed with death”.
There was a young lady called Lou
Who fell into a vat of glue.
A handsome young doctor named Shane
Said “I share all your pain
For I am in love with you!”.
Being a guide dog owner brings with it many advantages, (the companionship of a wonderful brindle Labrador/retriever and a highly effective mobility tool being 2 of the most obvious).
During my social and working life I am asked many questions regarding how guide dogs work, most of which are perfectly reasonable. I always answer such queries as its important that people understand the vital role played by guide dogs in enhancing the independence of visually impaired people. I am however sometimes flabbergasted by the daft questions put to me.
I have lost count of the number of occasions when a question along the following lines has been asked, “so does your dog go to work with you?”
I recently came across a variant on the above query. An acquaintance, being aware that I was traveling to Liverpool to visit my mum asked, “so does Trigger (my guide dog) go to Liverpool with you?”
I am known for my dry (some would say sarcastic) sense of humour. Consequently I am highly tempted to reply along the following lines, “no, he will stay in London for the 7 days I shall be in Liverpool. Don’t worry I shall leave him enough food and water to cover my absence. I am, however a little concerned that my home might be rather messy on my return …!”.
I do, however bite my sharp tongue and respond that the whole purpose of a guide dog is to act as a mobility tool. Consequently Trigger goes everywhere with me (the UK Equalities Act makes it an offence for a provider of goods or services to discriminate against a person for a reason related to their disability.
As a guide (or other assistance animal) is necessary to the independence of many disabled people, the Act makes it an offence for restaurants and other establishments to refuse to admit a disabled person when accompanied by their working assistance animal).
I shall continue to smile and patiently explain about the role of guide dogs when confronted by silly questions while, all the time furiously biting my sarcastic tongue …
