Hold Me When My Courage Fades
Hold Me When My Courage Fades – a baddie faces up to his or her own death.
Category: Death
Another Silk Cut?
: COPD is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – mainly caused by smoking. Silk Cut led the way in ‘clever’ surreal tobacco ads. But relax: it isn't posh poetry. By John Pritchard. Info: Silk Cut led the way in surreal (‘clever’) tobacco ads. But thousands died because the ads lulled them into smoking those seemingly safe (and trendy) cigarettes, with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) as the main killer.
I am a refugee
I am a Refugee – life and death from Syria. But relax: it isn't posh poetry. By John Pritchard.
Slow slips the sun
Slow Slips - a rhyme with sound and music. Life becomes time, and new lives replace old lives. But relax: it isn't posh poetry. By John Pritchard.
Sapper Smith is Resting Now
The story of a (fictitious) British soldier killed in Afghanistan – a total of 453 were killed during the 13 years of official conflict (2001-2014. It highlights the sacrifices made, the fighting skills of the Afghans, and the inability of foreigners to conquer Afghanistan. Hopefully this is done in a way that does not disrespect any of the participants. The words are set against a blues soundtrack.
Repeal 8 (It’s a Sin for Sinners to Get Off For Free)
Repeal 8 - It’s a Sin for Sinners to Get Off For Free– a rhyme with sound and music about illegal backstreet abortion in Eire (the 8th Amendment, and Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, only allow abortion when it is needed to save the life of the woman). But relax: it isn't posh poetry. By John Pritchard. Info: An unpleasant tale based on an unpleasant law. In Eire, the 8th Amendment, and the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, only allow abortion when it is needed to save the life of the woman. ‘Social’ abortion is not possible - instead it is trip to a backstreet abortionist or a trip abroad. This rhyme is graphic and shocking because the reality of backstreet abortion is shocking – and the whole point of this story is to protest at the consequence of the Eire law. More information from the Repeal8 campaign. Please note that there are two versions of the audio. The ‘Standard version’ is PG-level and just unpleasant. The ‘Warning: Explicit version’ is very unpleasant.
The Somme
The Somme is a metaphor for the horrors of war – it’s pointless mass destruction and death. That remains as true for us today as it has been throughout history. And it is usually the foot-soldiers who suffer the most – whether they be Roman slaves fighting for the Romans in the Somme area against the Gauls, or the Tommies/Jerries fighting in World War One. The Somme battle was from 1 July to 18 November 1916. More than one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. On the first day, the British had 57,470 casualties.
Pity the aged body
We all wither and die – it is the natural process. But there is often an unwillingness to admit that truth. So this rhyme attempts to confront that reality; it is a call for acceptance of the passing of time, and the fact that one generation has to dies out to be replaced by another. That may be ‘sad’ but it is the natural order of things.
Redemption
A Slobadon Milosovc, Sadam Hussein, style of mass-murderer is facing execution and prays for his lost soul. He knows his body will not survive, but he wonders whether his cursed soul can ever be forgiven?
The Angel Cries
A bit heavy this one – it is about the death of a child (‘when a child dies, the Angel cries’). It tries to capture the despair and grief of every parent’s nightmare. A difficult topic to write about.
When I am Gone
Why do we pretend the dead were better than they really were? Why the hypocrisy?