Occupying Armies

do well to disguise,
and keep as a constant surprise,
both for themselves and for others,
how control makes us remote

from ourselves and each other.

In The New Modern Sabbath

Lawnmowers will chorus mechanical hosannas
and the poor will trade the little they have
for equally small gain, less expenses, 

on open air market stalls,
where half the aim is conversation.

The only sin, from which to repent, will be true rest.

The Vagaries Of Diplomacy

In the early 1970's Zhou Enlai,

first premier of The People's Republic of China,
was asked his opinion of the French revolution.

His reply was “It’s too soon to tell”.
What was then seen as being far sighted,
for being a comment on the year 1789
was actually a reference to the Parisian
student revolts of 1968.

As he never said
'Diplomacy is being misunderstood
to good effect by other means.'.

Patriarchy-The Gordian Knot

which among other catch 22 situations,
supports a law in fundamentalist Islam,
whereby when a woman is raped
she has the choice of being stoned
as an adulterer (for failing to stop her attacker
as if she were some sort of heroic soldier),
or being forcibly married to her rapist,
because in his lust he thought he was right.
Even though he was blind and deaf
to how she was the property of her family,
and even if she were not then consent
was hers to offer or refuse on her terms.

The way to a woman's heart
is not through her cunt,
and it has nothing to do with religious legalese,
patriarchal culture, militarism, or male paranoia.
But old lies will persist.

Every day I find more reason
to be be happy to be gay,
or at least extremely un-patriarchal.

If I Were That Handsome I'd Have An ipod Too

Until then I am going to have quiet, 

are at least relative quiet in my ears.

The Degredations Of Education

When Eve was tempted by the fruit
from the tree of knowledge
Satan's aim was to teach her and Adam
the novelty of built-in obsolescence.

Many teachers in many schools
have been teaching the same lesson
ever since, without admitting it.
What pupils learn makes them obsolete
for employers who want more work
for less pay, and say they deserve better.

The Revolution Will Be Advertised