Better Safe Than Sorry

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

Wear my heart on my sleeve
Come hell or high water
I’ve learnt over the years
Better to go short sleeved

Stand-in (30b)

STAND-IN

Affection
Love’s bastard brother
A fine thing
In its place
But if used to replace it
Disaster ensues

~~~~~~~~~~~

Shadorma November

A Season In Edge Hill (Repost)

A SEASON IN EDGE HILL

Self-important piddling patchwork college,
peddling half-regurgitated rote knowledge;
chiselling chaste gems into brute ashlar;
live surging forest stripped for lumber cash.

All of a piece: “Sit down, don’t rock the boat”.
Sing up: “Graded brains keep us in power”.
You know the drill. “Do keep up at the back!”
“Hands up if you know the answer.” “Miss!” “Sir!”

Meaninglesswhile in the college canteen
(“Starved a lot, blah, blah”; cabbage days again)
running dogs and other wage slaves drivel,
drone, mimic windmills uncomprehending,

grinning at their own expense, face polished
shiny, shiny, aloof, above all that,
admiring Handsome in smooth-tongued mirrors,
accolading lucky fortunate one.

What can I say? A dickens of a place.
Lancashire’s tundra; bleak without the house.
Overgenerous to call if half-life
One man arrived and only stayed for tea …

——————————————————————

A page of personal history.

A Sip At The Apple And Snake

A SIP AT THE APPLE AND SNAKE

Drawn to that old tavern by the harbour
By the whimsy of its swinging sign
A round or two … and then

A well honed long-sword
Sweetened with honey
Slips into a tasty place
Without a tasteful name

Unsure whose deserts though
And lightless, we stroll a while
Down by the river’s cracked mouth

Where it lies, drained and heedless
As if long exhausted of truths
Bleeding its leavings and residues
Back into a dried up and deserted sea

A Season In Edge Hill

A SEASON IN EDGE HILL

Self-important piddling patchwork college,
peddling half-regurgitated rote knowledge;
chiselling chaste gems into brute ashlar;
live surging forest stripped for lumber cash.

All of a piece: “Sit down, don’t rock the boat”.
Sing up: “Graded brains keep us in power”.
You know the drill. “Do keep up at the back!”
“Hands up if you know the answer.” “Miss!” “Sir!”

Meaninglesswhile in the college canteen
(“Starved a lot, blah, blah”; cabbage days again)
running dogs and other wage slaves drivel,
drone, mimic windmills uncomprehending,

grinning at their own expense, face polished
shiny, shiny, aloof, above all that,
admiring Handsome in smooth-tongued mirrors,
accolading lucky fortunate one.

What can I say? A dickens of a place.
Lancashire’s tundra; bleak without the house.
Overgenerous to call if half-life
One man arrived and only stayed for tea …

——————————————————————

A page of personal history.

Aunt Sally

AUNT SALLY

From letters to Aunt Sally:

…..Dear Uncle Sammy
I’d just like to say I’m just a friendly little dwarf
And what I believe
Well this as I’m convinced
Is the situation and problem

I try to keep quiet
I stand on ceremony as restrained
Over the walnuts and the wine
I stand in livery
…..(and I’ve been to college too)
……….as constrained
Only barely in my mind
From smashing vases to make a noise
Or standing on my head
Or someone else’s
…..(So much for love!)
And I mouth something
Careful virgins risk a smile
And it’s no use asking what ever happened to their sisters
…..The surly walls are looming
……….staring
…..The telephone keeps on screaming
…..And I’m tired of Thursdays
But I suffer from only headaches
And a strong desire to ask questions
…..Or sleep
While I just look grieved
…..Or smile
Unconvincingly
…..The surly walls are looming
……….staring
…..The telephone keeps on screaming
…..And I’m tired of Thursdays
“Please don’t look so grieved”
“Please don’t look so grieved”
“Please don’t look so grieved”

Can you help at all?
——————————————————————

The term “Aunt Sally” is sometimes used in Great Britain as a colloquial political idiom, indicating a false adversary or straw man set up purely for attracting negative attention and wasting an opponent’s energy. The technique is sometimes used during planning applications when the applicant needs to show they exhausted all other options and need to create false alternatives that are easily identified as unsuitable.