Embellishing the Facts
Embellishing the Facts (Xenography) From Hami (China), so newspapers say, A mighty whirlwind – like invisible Great hand! – snatched thirteen children from their school And, with a strength quite irresistible, Transported them […]
Inspiration
Inspiration (From: A Theory for Art) Artists need inspiration. What is that? It is the yeast of creativity, (Which can be neither bought nor sold), without Whose beneficial influence a work Lacks lustre of the highest quality. It is a searchlight that reveals […]
Family Substitutes
Family Substitutes i. Zealous, as guardian, am I Of Fred, (the cat), Sandy and Gemma, (Labradors), Caprice, (the goat); They form my small menagerie And are my welcome company. ii. Fred is a tom-cat, black but white Across his chest, With green-gold-amber eyes and […]
Hylas
Hylas (After: J.W. Waterhouse) Leaving his fellow-Argonauts hunting fresh food Nearer the shore, (himself intent on water clean And cool), he chanced upon a lily-flowered pool Deep in the shady forest. As he filled his flask […]
I Don't Know Why (Ignorance)
I Don’t Know Why (Ignorance) (After: Richard Feynman’s: I Wonder Why). ‘I wonder why I wonder why I wonder why I wonder. I wonder why I wonder why I wonder why I wonder’ Yet… If I knew why I wonder why I wonder why […]
Four Point Three Three (or: Manifolds of Experience)
Four Point Three Three (or: Manifolds of Experience) (An exercise, à la John Cage, in the detachment of voice from the auditory manifold of experience). * * * * * * * [1. The reader […]
Objective Opportunities
Objective Opportunities Unless we hold some object in our view To fix direction for our hopeful steps To personal fulfilment, we shall fail – Trapped in morasses of self-doubt, confused – To use our talents to their best extent. Some clear ambition, be it small […]
Naturopathy
Naturopathy (For: Ana) When more conventional medical means Are ineffective, it makes sense to say: “Let Nature take its course, but with the help Of healing hands, pure essences distilled From pharmaceutic herbal remedies Prescribed according to the principles Of […]
Switzerland
Switzerland (For Lucinda) Cities are here, of course, grim urban sprawls, Dull factories and drear industrial sites, Linked by black spider-webs of motorways; But these seem insignificant compared With what surround and mitigate their blights. Small towns still crowd […]
Morning Glory
Morning Glory Each dawn, when from night-sleep I’m stirred, My ‘Morning Glory’ wakes with me And stretches out its fullest length, As if to prove its potent strength And latent creativity Remain completely unimpaired. Perhaps it’s just a reflex sign Which, […]