Eratosphere Forums - Metrical Poetry, Free Verse, Fiction, Art, Critique, Discussions Able Muse - a review of poetry, prose and art

Forum Left Top

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Unread 04-19-2017, 11:53 AM
Ann Drysdale's Avatar
Ann Drysdale Ann Drysdale is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Old South Wales (UK)
Posts: 6,667
Default FLYTING - Number 2- Election Fever.

I must go down to the polls again, to the Evangelical Hall
And all the usual rigmarole in the rickety wooden stall.
To the row of beady-eyed women with the separate jobs to do,
The ticking-off and the tearing-off and handing the blank to you.

I must go down to the polls again, to the pencil on a string
And the careful kiss in the special box that doesn’t change a thing
And the sucking of teeth and the half-belief that just this once it might
And the hollow laugh as I fold it in half, hoping I got it right.

I must go down to the polls again, to make my usual mark
Though my heart sinks and my head thinks “Oh, bugger this for a lark”.
But down I’ll go and the flag I’ll show as a citizen of the realm
And all I ask is a tight ship and an honest man at the helm.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Unread 04-19-2017, 12:53 PM
Erik Olson Erik Olson is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 2,150
Default

This is why Socrates imbibed hemlock:
So I can wait in line around the block
To check a bubble with a number 2
Pencil—this democratic thing we do—
Bow my head in a hallowed cardboard stall
With gun nuts, plumbers, Wall Street sharks and all
Who think more deeply on the parking meter,
As they decide, meanwhile, ‘the Free World’s leader.’
If God’s a comic, this must be His theater.

It used to be conspiracies were fringe.
It used to be that thinking got respect.
But thinking would upset the nation’s binge,
Where news is ‘Elite Lies’ if it’s fact-checked.

You used to find each village had one village idiot;
But every village is today an idiot village.

From gentleman farmer
To Commonwealth harmer,
Villagers joined one kind
Of Village-Idiot-Mind:
It is playing with muck.
No wonder we are stuck.
d

Last edited by Erik Olson; 04-20-2017 at 02:34 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Unread 04-19-2017, 02:36 PM
John Whitworth's Avatar
John Whitworth John Whitworth is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 12,945
Default

Ann, that is very good, but it is not flyting.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Unread 04-20-2017, 01:51 AM
Ann Drysdale's Avatar
Ann Drysdale Ann Drysdale is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Old South Wales (UK)
Posts: 6,667
Default

Why, hello John. How nice to see you here.
Your faint praise and complaint do not, I fear,
piss on my poutine. John, I broke no rule.
I am an angel, Sir, and you're a fool.

But if you want to reconstruct the form
at least adhere to the accepted norm.
What are you hoping for? To get me banned?
At least my contribution rhymed and scanned.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Unread 04-20-2017, 06:26 AM
Nigel Mace Nigel Mace is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: The Borders, Andalucia and Italy
Posts: 1,537
Default

“The condition of ‘election fever’,
or electio febris, as experts”
(he blushes) “pace Gove, rather prefer,
can be most painful and occurs in spurts.

Opinion is, however, still much torn
on whether the affliction is acute -
(the virus spreading once May's sham poll's born) -
or chronic when June's outcome’s past dispute
and settles, like miasma of foul airs,
to choke folk’s now surrendered polity
and smother fairness in public affairs
with fair-wind only for the quality.

The remedy,” he beams, “is simply this -
‘No X for May!' Sweet as a Glasgow kiss.”
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Unread 04-22-2017, 03:58 AM
Ann Drysdale's Avatar
Ann Drysdale Ann Drysdale is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Old South Wales (UK)
Posts: 6,667
Default

Vote cheerio my deario

I am a jobbing poet, one
not known for being practical
but I can see how much depends
on good folk voting “tactical”.
It might demand a sacrifice
but surely there’s no doubt
that cheerio my deario
would get the lady out.

Don’t wring your hands and mutter
that a single voice won’t matter.
Come out and play your Xbox,
put the former in the latter.
Of course we’ll get Theresa
if our opposition’s lacking;
it’s cheerio my deario
that sends the lady packing.

The end is drawing nearer
and we have it in our sights
for cheerio my deario
could set the world to rights.
There’ll be dancing in the breaking dawn
that cannot come to soon
when it’s cheerio my deario
upon the ninth of June

(exclamation point - and thanks to don marquis)
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Unread 04-29-2017, 11:04 PM
William A. Baurle William A. Baurle is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 1,844
Default

Shoot me your talking points, and I'll concede 'em.
Where's poor old Colley Cibber when you need him?
Oh dear, it looks as if I've jumped right in.
Good thing I've got my tonic, and my gin.

(I didn't think I'd do it, but I've done it.
I wonder, can I stretch this to a sonnet?)

...
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Unread 04-30-2017, 12:19 AM
Ann Drysdale's Avatar
Ann Drysdale Ann Drysdale is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Old South Wales (UK)
Posts: 6,667
Default

Poor Colley Cibber, once a man of passion,
Is now both out of life and out of fashion.
Yet it is meet that we should be forgiving,
Since he beseeched us, "pardon me for living".
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Unread 04-30-2017, 01:04 AM
William A. Baurle William A. Baurle is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 1,844
Default

Pardon me, Ann, and thank you for your grace.
That was an inside joke for Nigel Mace,
With whom I spoke of Pope, and poor old Colley.
But now the jest is outside, and how jolly!

(At least that's what I think Whitworth might write,
Should he come join us in our flyte tonight.)

Last edited by William A. Baurle; 04-30-2017 at 01:06 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Unread 05-08-2017, 02:59 AM
Ann Drysdale's Avatar
Ann Drysdale Ann Drysdale is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Old South Wales (UK)
Posts: 6,667
Default

Oh, for pity's sake....

Your list of what you hate about the Tories
is full of public schools and posh and toffs.
Your sneering tone of envy seldom varies,
riffing on fat cats, handouts, snouts and troughs.

Remember all those gasps of admiration
when old Mujica had his hour of fame?
Remember how you wished this failing nation
could find one man whose outlook was the same?

Someone who didn’t fiddle his expenses,
someone who rode a bike and went by train,
someone who’d even out the people’s chances
and make this country wonderful again.

An honest man and not a Tory bastard,
somebody who would listen and was kind…
But look! Your face is wrinkling like a custard
as you guess who it is I have in mind.

Your upper lip is creeping up your nostril
and you’ve reverted to your classic sneer –
“I didn’t mean that sad old hippie wastrel”
Your double standard couldn’t be more clear.

“I can’t be doing with that scruffy bleeder;
he’s not the man we need and that is flat.”
You say he’s not equipped to be a leader,
but I would follow somebody like that.
.

Last edited by Ann Drysdale; 06-14-2017 at 07:17 AM. Reason: incorporated a suggestion that Basil gave me when this appeared on Facebook.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump



Forum Right Top
Forum Left Bottom Forum Right Bottom
 
Right Left
Member Login
Forgot password?
Forum LeftForum Right


Forum Statistics:
Forum Members: 8,399
Total Threads: 21,841
Total Posts: 270,805
There are 1298 users
currently browsing forums.
Forum LeftForum Right


Forum Sponsor:
Donate & Support Able Muse / Eratosphere
Forum LeftForum Right
Right Right
Right Bottom Left Right Bottom Right

Hosted by ApplauZ Online