Category Archives: Social and political
Help Ukrainian refugees! Hope Rage Sunflowers – poems for peace
The wonderful Annick Yerem has edited this anthology of verse and images in support of Ukrainian refugees. I’m very proud to be in there, alongside some poets I really respect and admire. You can get hold of a copy by … Continue reading
I am an alien with two hearts
and so are most of the women I know. Yes. Her. Weirdly, I feel like I’m best represented by a regenerated alien with two hearts and a sonic screwdriver. There’s so much I love about the new Doctor, and so … Continue reading
Emoji land
I used a winky face. My son’s sports coach put up a notice about an event. It will last from “9.30am through to 4am”, he said. “That’s a long day” I posted back. Winky face. My daughter folded up with … Continue reading
The strings are the important bit
My son explained that he liked chatting to his internet friends (in Norway! in Hawaii! in Cheshire!) because it’s socialising “with no strings attached”. Foolish boy. He’s internet savvy. He’s cynical about what people say about themselves. He’s had internet … Continue reading
Sexual harassment.
Yes, I’m getting on the bandwagon. I’m allowed. Everyone else is. What gets me, right, is these men who say “as the father of daughters…”. The people who say “there are parents out there who have the right to expect … Continue reading
More thoughts on Brexit
We live in a post-truth world. We are now so accustomed to lies, half lies, fantasy and complex convoluted mixtures of all those things that I don’t know if we have any idea what the truth is any more. … Continue reading
Brexit
I had known him all my life, and I thought I knew him. He was broadly tolerant, though he liked to grumble. He was cynical about most things, and had a wry sense of humour. He was polite and knew … Continue reading