Song of the Shirt With fingers weary and worn, With eyelids heavy and red, A woman sat in unwomanly rags, Plying her needle and thread— Stitch! stitch! stitch! In poverty, hunger, and dirt, And still with a voice of dolorous pitch She sang the “Song of the Shirt.” “Work! work! work! While the cock is…
Author: Daniel
A Drug of Choice
Plato thought music was a drug and dangerous and he actually wanted it limited in his perfect republic. I have loved classical music all my life and only know popular music because it has been recommended to me or I have trawled youtube and listened to some contestants on talent shows. I am intensely aware…
Humanity Versus History
To show humanity is usually described as being empathetic and caring. Given the history of the human race that has to be one of the most ironic if not outright hypocritical definitions in the dictionary. But the act of caring for suffering is exhibited in many people but I have noted on talking about Gaza…
Talking About Oneself
There are some artists who are very good at talking about themselves and their work. They actually relish all the marketing and documentaries and interviews. It is taken for granted in today’s world that you actively court such promotions. But there are those who prefer to be out of the limelight. Who seek to have…
Sentence structure matters
I don’t usually feel sorrow for religious leaders who mean one thing and say another because they are old or because religious people generally have a different way of thinking. The Pope is right to ask for warring parties to seek peace but his way of saying it was not helpful. You would never mention…
The Day of The Cunning Careerist
He learnt at an early age To deliver taxed dreams to His breakfast table, where He shared the fruit-juice and the papers With his wife – Spreading marmalade with A small silver knife on their Thinly sliced toast – Bitter-orange marmalade to match Their bitter orange destiny – Listening to the news – Rushing into…
A Little Harsh
We have something called Council Tax which is a local tax to pay for the police etc at a local level. Non-Payment brings with it a court order and a payment schedule. The tax is linked to the market value of the house. In the USA property taxes are the equivalent but I have just…
What To Do with the 30%
After Brexit and Trump last time round my friend told me he thought there were about 30% of people in the UK and US that were, to put it mildly, susceptible to these nationalistic, tub-thumping men on the make. Well, ok he called them ‘;thick’ but what they actually are is hurt and / or…
A Lost Day
It is actually dry here so I did manage to do a lot of tidying up in the garden. The day was mostly people going over the ridiculous budget we have just been given which sounded more like a tour guide of the UK with a million given here, a million given there. It was…