Thanks for spotting this one, Steve. Our subject last seen boogieing with Priti Patel at the Tory conference.

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Excellent!

Just sorry I didn't see it when you first posted it.

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Pure poetry; a cataclysm described in two words.
Fruitcake mistake.

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Always happy to widen your poetry education, Telboy.

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I didn't know that The Morning Star was in the habit of publishing poetry, though as a Communist mouthpiece I suspect it was the content that attracted them rather than the poetic structure, skillful as it is.

Anyway, I'm more Morningstar than Morning Star.

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Original item by Greg Freeman

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Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I think this poem still stands up well, Greg. I had more or less forgotten about Farage until this bank account business came up. For me, he taps the worst instincts in people and offers absolutely nothing.

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Telboy, it's hard to bang your own drum, and I would find it difficult to take you by the hand and lead you through the poem, to persuade you there is some craft there. Maybe try reading it aloud, if you can bear to?! Not all poetry has to rhyme, although I think you already know that. There can be a rhythm and 'music' to a poem, words that sound similar, and I would argue for that in this case. I agree with you that Farage had a huge influence on us leaving the EU, and this is a 'what if?' kind of poem, ie what if he had not survived his light aircraft crash on election day in 2010? Would we still be in the EU now after all? I should also say that this poem was previously published in The Morning Star, although I would not submit to them now, owing to their stance on Ukraine. PS by coincidence, today I am wearing my RNLI socks.

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Whatever we may think of Nigel Farage we must surely recognise the huge influence he had on the Brexit vote, again not to everybody's liking. Without his contribution we would still be in the EU.

As to this poem, a while ago I was 'accused' by the author of submitting a piece of prose broken up into lines with a bit of political snobbery thrown in for good measure and told it was not a poem. How is this any different?

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I would respect giving credit where it's due. Farage performed
a signal duty by bringing to attention the socio-economic
posturings of the big banks, something I imagine hasn't been
considered before by many of us. Or would you prefer your
own attitudes be grounds for cancelling any bank account held
by you and others of differing opinions? As for the question of
immigration, his views about its effect - both immediate and likely - are a matter of public record. Considering the
government's inability to house and care for its own people,
let alone the uncontrolled numbers and their "baggage"
across the spectrum of the human condition, those views
are entirely relevant to life in the UK today. Closing down
opinions is not unrelated to closing down bank accounts.
We must all be on our guard for the risk that poses to
freedom of speech and the vital wider control of our lives.

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Whatever is it in one's childhood that makes one an admirer of Enoch Powell, who makies racist comments with references to Hitler?

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Since Farage is in the news again, here's my poem about him from my 'Marples Must Go!' collection (2021)

Comment is about Unhappy landings (blog)

Original item by Greg Freeman