Tasmanian Europa Poets' Gazette No 87, July 2011

I have threatened to publish some more of my Songs Of Science and writings on philosophy and poetry and happiness and religion, and others.

They are there waiting for posterity to acknowledge them as does any other not-so-manic poet because we are usually about 50 years ahead of our time and if that’s not true...

Poor Julie nextdoor is being made into a vampire. Vampirism is what most high-school students are interested in these days while we oldies are about to lie down and die not so quietly at the old people’s home.

I am now taking anti-depressants. Apparently they lift you up if you’re depressed but do nothing for you if you are not - so you win either way.

The following are epigrams from

Songs Of Happiness:

The rich can grasp for happiness with gold

And yet, they know - that love can not be sold.

*

When we have floated on the clouds too long,

We reap the happy death of morphine’s song.

*

So, I have drunk of happiness’s perception

And also thought of life’s deception.

Tasmanian Europa Poets' Gazette No 87, July 2011

I have threatened to publish some more of my Songs Of Science and writings on philosophy and poetry and happiness and religion, and others.

They are there waiting for posterity to acknowledge them as does any other not-so-manic poet because we are usually about 50 years ahead of our time and if that’s not true...

Poor Julie nextdoor is being made into a vampire. Vampirism is what most high-school students are interested in these days while we oldies are about to lie down and die not so quietly at the old people’s home.

I am now taking anti-depressants. Apparently they lift you up if you’re depressed but do nothing for you if you are not - so you win either way.

The following are epigrams from

Songs Of Happiness:

The rich can grasp for happiness with gold

And yet, they know - that love can not be sold.

*

When we have floated on the clouds too long,

We reap the happy death of morphine’s song.

*

So, I have drunk of happiness’s perception

And also thought of life’s deception.

Tasmanian Europa Poets' Gazette No 87, July 2011

Glad I Wasn’t There

Bomb scare - where?

There,

In the Tube’s lair!

Glad I wasn’t there,

People, milling, how they stare,

As acrid smoke poisons air,

Stench of singed hair,

Explosion deep at Leicester Square,

On the Piccadilly Line,

In that Underground mine,

Sirens, desperate, hear them whine,

It happened on a steep decline,

Where sun is impossible to shine,

Body parts on electric line,

Carnage, cannot hope to define,

Won’t be home till half past nine,

Was in the rush hour,

Just imagine, see them cower,

Brakes sparking in a shower,

How their night is going sour,

Quick! Shut down all the power!

Rescuers, helpless, looking dour,

Beam the news from signal tower,

20p for a flower?

© Michael Garrad June 2011

Tasmanian Europa Poets' Gazette No 87, July 2011

Glad I Wasn’t There

Bomb scare - where?

There,

In the Tube’s lair!

Glad I wasn’t there,

People, milling, how they stare,

As acrid smoke poisons air,

Stench of singed hair,

Explosion deep at Leicester Square,

On the Piccadilly Line,

In that Underground mine,

Sirens, desperate, hear them whine,

It happened on a steep decline,

Where sun is impossible to shine,

Body parts on electric line,

Carnage, cannot hope to define,

Won’t be home till half past nine,

Was in the rush hour,

Just imagine, see them cower,

Brakes sparking in a shower,

How their night is going sour,

Quick! Shut down all the power!

Rescuers, helpless, looking dour,

Beam the news from signal tower,

20p for a flower?

© Michael Garrad June 2011

Tasmanian Europa Poets' Gazette No 87, July 2011

We’ve got the tragedy that is Afghanistan and the political collusion that says it must continue until the war is won or it is expedient to get out.

We’ve got the carbon tax debate. At the end of all the chit-chat, we will get a carbon tax. That’s the political reality.

We’ve got live cattle exports and the fact is we will continue to send animals overseas because dollars matter and it is politically necessary to do so.

We’ve got the boatpeople. They’ll keep on arriving. Politically, we have to tread carefully between being firm and being compassionate, no matter how or where they are processed.

We will continue to fight in Afghanistan, we will have a carbon tax, live exports will go on and boatpeople will be a fact of life.

How many of those, to whom politics is neither one thing nor the other, really and truly care? I suggest not many among “Ordinary Australians” (How over-used is that statement?) Who are “Ordinary Australians” anyway? Well, they’re families trying to make ends meet, working multiple jobs to pay the bills.

The big issues don’t impact in the same way as mortgage payments, credit card payments, personal loans, insurances, utility costs, rego and on, and on it goes.

Living day to day is what focuses attention for “Ordinary Australians”. As for the big picture? Not in my backyard, thank you!

Tasmanian Europa Poets' Gazette No 87, July 2011

We’ve got the tragedy that is Afghanistan and the political collusion that says it must continue until the war is won or it is expedient to get out.

We’ve got the carbon tax debate. At the end of all the chit-chat, we will get a carbon tax. That’s the political reality.

We’ve got live cattle exports and the fact is we will continue to send animals overseas because dollars matter and it is politically necessary to do so.

We’ve got the boatpeople. They’ll keep on arriving. Politically, we have to tread carefully between being firm and being compassionate, no matter how or where they are processed.

We will continue to fight in Afghanistan, we will have a carbon tax, live exports will go on and boatpeople will be a fact of life.

How many of those, to whom politics is neither one thing nor the other, really and truly care? I suggest not many among “Ordinary Australians” (How over-used is that statement?) Who are “Ordinary Australians” anyway? Well, they’re families trying to make ends meet, working multiple jobs to pay the bills.

The big issues don’t impact in the same way as mortgage payments, credit card payments, personal loans, insurances, utility costs, rego and on, and on it goes.

Living day to day is what focuses attention for “Ordinary Australians”. As for the big picture? Not in my backyard, thank you!

Tasmanian Europa Poets' Gazette No 87, July 2011

Caution To The Ancient Winds

Beware, ancient men, of strange pale people

who arrive in large boisterous, metallic peregrines,

who offer false friendships by promising to rid you of that

useless thick black-blood like liquid that spurts from the earth

when it is tapped.

They will give you and your tribe magic from bottles

to cure some of your aliments;

they will lure your youth into surrendering their ancient ways;

they will ridicule your god and replace it with their own.

No longer will your youth obey your tribal rules;

instead they will seek instant gratification

that will diminish the authority of your voice’s power.

The old ways to them will seem obsolete

and the young adults will become embarrassed by them.

Your beliefs of right and wrong will not be adhered to.

The pale people will see your women and young girls

as trophies.

Some of them may even bear seed from these strangers,

And when the metallic peregrine has gone,

you will be left with dust and a sunken earth.

In times to come there will be no role on Earth for you

other than a smile to the tourist’s flicking lights.

© Judy Brumby-Lake