Poetry

It goes on one at a time,
it starts when you care to act,
it starts when you do it again after they said no,
it starts when you say we and know who you mean,
and each day you mean one more.

Marge Piercy

Thursday, 25 January 2018 11:43

The Divided Self: a poem for Burns Night

Written by Keith Armstrong

in Poetry

The Divided Self by Keith Armstrong 'When'er my muse does on me glance, I jingle at her.' (Robert Burns). Such an eye in a human head,from the toothless babyto the toothless man,the Edinburgh wyndsbleed whisky.Through all the Daft Days,we drink and greein the local howffs,dancing downBread Street.Like burns with Burnsthese…

Robert Burns Burns Night Edinburgh

Tuesday, 16 January 2018 10:52

Come in number 45, your time is up

Written by Steve Pottinger

in Poetry

In Which No. 45 Once Again Seeks Validation To Dispel The Existential Fear That Gnaws At His Very Soul by Steve Pottinger Thursday, 4am. The president wakesReaches, half-conscious, for his phoneUnwilling, untutored, unable to fight.Must! Have! Attention! Now!Punches the keypad over and over In a desperate, infantile frenzy. Then:Send. America!…

Trump Trumpisms Trumpetry Trumpedup in charge

Sunday, 14 January 2018 13:07

An Embarrassment

Written by Chris Norris

in Poetry

An Embarrassment by Chris Norris LONDON — A political storm is brewing ahead of Prince Harry’s and Meghan Markle’s May 19 wedding over whether to crack down on homeless people and beggars in the well-to-do English town of Windsor . . . . Borough council leader Simon Dudley kicked off…

Windsor Homelessness Royal Wedding

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 12 January 2018 15:13

What Put The Diamonds In Your Owner’s Wife’s Ears?

in Poetry

Written by Kevin Higgins

What Put The Diamonds In Your Owner’s Wife’s Ears? after Bertolt Brecht by Kevin Higgins You clean-collared columnistsshould first help us fix the basic roof-over-headdilemma, before penning your next sermon. You shower, who preach careful nowand always know your own exact bank balance, what is this mature democracy towards which…

Brecht

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 01 January 2018 19:36

Our common humanity: Robert Burns and For A' That

in Poetry

Written by Jenny Farrell

Jenny Farrell discusses the focus on our common humanity in Robert Burns's For A' That, and the way it foretells the 'programme which will govern the world of liberated humanity'. Every so often, history presents us with an amazing affirmation of our common humanity, a sense of continuity, the passing…

Robert Burns Karl Marx Karl Liebknecht rosa luxemburg Ayrshire

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 29 December 2017 23:12

Dilemma of Politeness

in Poetry

Written by James Martyn Joyce

Dilemma of Politeness by James Martyn Joyce This is not about taking the final biscuit,Or feigning gratitude for favours gained,Nor questioning the swing of things in general,Towards flaunting all the wealthWe’d managed to accumulate,The only shortage being the time required,To spend it, or enjoy it, or give it away, Or…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 29 December 2017 22:54

A Disillusionment

in Poetry

Written by Chris Norris

A Disillusionment by Chris Norris It sounds counter-intuitive. How can the ‘Jewish State’ or the Zionist movement be anti-Semitic? But several of US President Donald Trump’s appointments have made it clearer than ever. He leads the most pro-Israel US administration in history, even while appointing key figures with anti-Semitic ties…

Netanyahu Trump

Monday, 11 December 2017 14:14

The Hate-Song of J. William Rees-Mogg

Written by Chris Norris

in Poetry

The Hate-Song of J. William Rees-Mogg by Chris Norris My name is Jacob Rees-Mogg, andI’ll have you peasants knowI'm here to save this precious landFrom many a deadly foe. I'm ten years old but please don't laugh;I'm grown-up as can be.I read the Daily TelegraphAnd that’s the rag for me.…

Thursday, 30 November 2017 16:25

Patrick Kavanagh

Written by Jenny Farrell

in Poetry

On the 50th anniversary of Patrick Kavanagh's death, Jenny Farrell draws out some of the political meanings of Patrick Kavanagh's poem Epic. The Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh (21 October 1904 – 30 November 1967), who died fifty years ago, is not as well known internationally as he should be. He…

Wednesday, 29 November 2017 23:32

on that day

Written by Steve Pottinger

in Poetry

on that day by Steve Pottinger on that day when we can barely hear ourselves think for the pealing of church bells the cheering of crowds when the pubs are full and the street parties last till every bottle’s empty and the sun is crawling over the rooftops for the…

Wednesday, 29 November 2017 14:37

Migrants: a dialogue

Written by Chris Norris

in Poetry

Migrants: a dialogue by Chris Norris Some certainly recognized the suffering of the migrants concerned, but comments beneath a Daily Mail article included the following: ‘Isn’t it about time these people stayed to sort out the mess in their own countries instead of running away?’; and ‘Hard as it may…

refugees