Voices In A Tempest

The Poli-Diddle Fiddle

The poli-diddle is your job, is your job
The poli-diddle is your job, yes your moneyed job
MP you’re a flop yet you’ll rise to the top
As long as you are a liar

So lie or fib or fabricate, taradiddle mislead or prevaricate
You dearly need to win some votes no matter what the cost
You must tell tall tales, and think thoughts that are so sinister
Then in the end, my ambitious friend, you’ll end up as Prime Minister

The poli-diddle is your job, is your job
The poli-diddle is your job, yes your moneyed job
MP you’re a failure yet voters regale yer
If you start a genocide war

So lie or fib or fabricate, taradiddle mislead or prevaricate
You dearly need to win some votes no matter what the cost
You must tell tall tales, and think thoughts that are so sinister
Then in the end, my ambitious friend, you’ll end up as Prime Minister

The poli-diddle is your job, is your job
The poli-diddle is your job, yes your moneyed job
MP there is pay-dirt in nuclear fission
It’s there if you feed an atomic ambition

So lie or fib or fabricate, taradiddle mislead or prevaricate
You dearly need to win some votes no matter what the cost
You must tell tall tales, and think thoughts that are so sinister
Then in the end, my ambitious friend, you’ll end up as Prime Minister

The poli-diddle is your job, is your job
The poli-diddle is your job, yes your moneyed job
MP treat climate change as a joke
Then label researchers demonstrably woke

So lie or fib or fabricate, taradiddle mislead or prevaricate
You dearly need to win some votes no matter what the cost
You must tell tall tales, and think thoughts that are so sinister
Then in the end, my ambitious friend, you’ll end up as Prime Minister

The poli-diddle is your job, is your job
The poli-diddle is your job, yes your moneyed job
MP privatise; give your friends a bonus
So that Woolworths in the end will bloody-well own us

So lie or fib or fabricate, taradiddle mislead or prevaricate
You dearly need to win some votes no matter what the cost
You must tell tall tales, and think thoughts that are so sinister
Then in the end, my ambitious friend, you’ll end up as Prime Minister

The poli-diddle is your job, is your job
The poli-diddle is your job, yes your moneyed job
MP don’t be a shy one, simply pull a fast one
So each black-hat that you use will not be the last one

Yes lie or fib or fabricate, taradiddle mislead or prevaricate
You dearly need to win some votes no matter what the cost
You must tell tall tales, and think thoughts that are so sinister
Then in the end, my ambitious friend, you’ll end up as Prime Minister

Ode To Aged Care

Here I am
Old fruit on a withered vine
Active life is no longer mine
My body aches
As I make mistakes
I can’t leave my home
I am too frail to roam
I thirst for visions afar
Yet no longer have a car
I recall the life that I led
But now most of my friends are dead
Once I was free as a bird
Now an active life’s absurd
Steps once I leapt three at a time
Now are a hazard I cannot climb
Money is scarce and gets a mention
You can’t live like a king on a pension
Life, it is with pain encumbered
When your last days are numbered
Yet suddenly there are sunbeams
And disaster’s displaced by dreams
Kindness invades your despair
Because somebody else is there
A stranger who cares about you
To ease the pains that flout you
To mollify the sadness
And dispel the sick world’s madness
So willing to beguile
With the wonders of her smile
And chatter at my table
O yes, she’s the angel in my fable

Vive l’école
 

A school is not an inanimate thing.
 
I found this out today
When I visited a place
Where in my yesterdays
I used to teach.
 
‘Hello Sir’ came their voices,
Once again,
And their looks of recognition
Seemed to tap me
On the shoulder
As I walked across that playground
At recess time
Into the hollow hallways
Where I heard again the footsteps
Of the past
And in those briefly empty classrooms
I met the echoes of my words
And the reflected sounds of yesterday’s pupils
With their sighs of learning struggle
Their misdemeanours
And their Ahas! of the once in a while
When insight set in.
 
It was a weird experience this:
A haunted house without ghosts
Not spooks
But thoughts and words
And struggles and despair and hope
And growth and disobedience
And little triumphs over learning curves
And breakthroughs to understanding
And punishment and distraction
And anger and hatred and inspiration
And penalty and injustice and impossible tasks
And, when the last bell rings,
Memories of transformations that never end.
 
A school is not an inanimate thing.                                      

Published in Awen, an English literary magazine, Issue 64, June 2010

The Climate Skeptic’s Septic Antiseptic

A plague has invaded this Land of Mine
Denied by Fatuous Amos
His discourse was rent by a terrible dent
In his futile attempt to be famous

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?”

He proclaimed as one in the blazing sun
That the oomph of science is declining
Then he chanted and ranted like a frog in its bog
“We will carry on with the mining!”

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?”

The overt reactions to this mine blown action
Were rumours of climate woes
No problem said the Diggers on the wildfire season
It’s something to warm up the toes

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?”

Further reactions to this mineral faction
Repeatedly spoke of drought fears
No problem said the Diggers and here is the reason
We’ve had many a flood down the years

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?”

Music rang forth in rising pitch
As cyclones fought the renditioning
No problem said the Diggers it is good for the treasury
Saves the cost of air conditioning

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?”

Another consequence of the miner’s lie-sense
Was the chatter on global warming
No problem said the Diggers it is good for Titanics
It stops the icebergs from forming

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?””

And now in the present the duck is a pheasant
And the money rolls into the bins
No problem say the Diggers, all’s right with the world
There’s jobs for the boys in our sins

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?”

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“What’s the future done for us?”

So he danced a jig with a curse and a cuss
“I can’t understand all the fuss!”

Racism Undermined

Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come.
’Twas grace that brought us safe thus far
And grace will lead us home

From Amazing Grace

Breathes there a man so torn with dread
Who never to himself has said
“This is my hope in this foreign land
With peace and love they will understand.’
To every listener I say in fright
My soul is neither black nor white
Yet I am afraid ere the next night comes
Rancour will rise like the beat of drums
Someone will find a fault in me
Because of my tribal history
The cause may be skin or the shape of my eyes
The place of my birth would be no surprise
Or the clothes that I wear, the jobs that I went to
The church where I worship, the school I was sent to
Something will cause the disdain
In this foreign, forbidding domain
I will shrink at first, fearing the danger
My heart will tell me I’m a dog in the manger
Malice will be in the air that I breathe
Government laws will leap forth to deceive
Glimpses of hate will be a constant strife
Gestures of ire will stain my life
I shall feel despair in this troubled place
You would think that my life is a sheer disgrace
I am an alien; here that’s a crime
Though the story of my life is at times sublime
How can I end this anguish?
All the pain I long to vanquish?
I search my mind and defiantly probe
As I turn to face each xenophobe
In my prison without bars
O how I long for shelter under these unfamiliar stars

r

royciebaby

Reflections In A Teardrop

Justice Calling

There is a friend of mine
Who adds life and colour to my existence
He is kind to me
And never incurs my resistance
How strange that is
That he should enrich my life
For he is condemned to a bitter world
Of solitude and strife
A victim now he is
Of anger in his past
Echoes of a time of youthful trouble
And a love that did not last
For this he is punished and friendless
Isolated, maligned and condemned
So his loneliness is endless
Something I so long to amend
He is clever, alert and profoundly aware
But when he seeks friendship
I alone am there
Even so he stays cheerful and bravely alert
He keeps himself going
When I am inert
With his wondrous, kindly, loving support
He stays without fail
By my side cheerful as my last resort
So now I speak to the world
And my message is a prayer unfurled
Somewhere, someone, somehow must speak
Of the love and kindness that I seek
O breathes there a man since time has begun
Who dreams not of justice for his son?

Elysium Lost

OF Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe…

Paradise Lost 1674 John Milton


Just look at what they are doing to us
It’s tragedy written with a blunderbuss
Satan is gathering his troops for a fight
You can see their armour flashing bright
That tyrant has seized immoral power
It’s not a tale for the children’s hour
Who is this Devil in disguise?
It’s a politician who tells you lies
Not merely pledges that the wise deride
But simply promises he is on your side
He is one whom the guilty defend
Because he convinces them he is their friend
You see he is wrong but you do not care
As you know he’s your ally and his power is there
Control is his dark aphrodisiac
And his chains of power are not slack
He is a moron but his dominance is real
Because he’s a suzerain at doing a deal
Ah me! What has he done to the world?
Why he’s dismantled it as his plans unfurled
Justice is ended by this devil’s hand
Burn all the books is the demon’s demand
Aggrandise the rich is the diabolical scheme
Vast wealth for the few is the evil dream
Create an empire of a thousand years
Relieve your cohorts of their prison years
Entrance your disciples with dreams to fulfil
Then eulogise One Big Beautiful Bill

Sustainable Energy Solutions

O my, it makes you cry; listen to their raving
Putting a case to your face about money saving
Vested interests are their game
It is greed disguised
Hidden avarice is just the same
You should not be surprised
Putting a case for disgrace
They claim for the nation’s good health
But they are lying to your face
It’s purely for their cohorts’ wealth
Their real mission is a disgrace
Ignoring the dangers of climate
They lie on the menace of destructive flood
With brain power that parallels a primate
Though your living space is cluttered with mud
They claim cheap power needs your vote
If your farm may die they ignore the cost
It’s just profit for themselves they promote
And what about fire that refutes their desire?
They say nothing about that danger
If you promote death or your loved ones expire
You are not a dog in the manger
Storms as well are blithely ignored
That violent destruction doesn’t matter
It’s the balanced budget that must be restored
Global warming is mere idle chatter
So it’s dig, dig, dig and to hell with what it does
Hide the truth and pose as sheer high-minded
Have your phone line of pretence a-buzz
To forever keep the gullible blinded

 
The Septic Sceptic



We will deliver a strong economy
As the climate brings drought to the earth
We will deliver a strong economy
As floods have their ruinous birth
We will deliver a strong economy
As wildfire consumes your place
We will deliver a strong economy
As storms threaten the human race
We will deliver a strong economy
As slain fish pollute a dead stream
We will deliver a strong economy
As dead coral slaughters a dream
We will deliver a strong economy
Though countless stock have died
We will deliver a strong economy
As sea shores sink under the tide
We will deliver a strong economy
Each one of us a political hero
We will deliver a strong economy
And proudly abandon net zero

The Doom Merchant

They washed his brain with a piece of fiction
So that climate change was a false prediction
Both logic and truth then raised his great ire
As he claimed every expert he met was a liar
He said days were jolly and all weather was fine
And the best kind of fuel was found in a mine
His words were so corny they all came in cobs
As he praised the vast virtue of out-of-date jobs
Now one day came when the stress was too much
And the stuff of his chatter was sheer double Dutch
So the doubter went peptic and in for the kill
He swallowed a fallacy just for the thrill
Then he sold all the banks for a nickel and a quarter
Next flew to the Pole to fetch some iced water
And then off to the plains where he sprinkled it out
In a last futile effort to conquer the drought
But that was not all for the fiddler to be
For he picked up a gavel to auction the sea
The price was so high and the buyers so few
That the deal was kept private so nobody knew
Then came the tumult and far more excess
When he made a bold bid for the Orient Express
But the nanny state owners were too worldly wise
They knew of the loss when you privatise
So the halfwit stood wavering on the edge of bleak failure
Then he dressed himself up in his finest regalia
To play one last hand with nuclear fission
But he met his extinction in a Royal Commission  

royciebaby

Always Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide

The Power Of The Lie

So you are seeking power and fame
Control of the herd
Status in the hierarchy
The method is simple
Decide what the masses desire
Then boldly, flamboyantly, unequivocally achieve it
Not really
Only with words
Tell the biggest lies your conspiring mind allows
To fulfil your own wishes
Shout them from the tree tops
Bellow soulfully what seems to be true but isn’t
Invent any reason to hide the truth
Cover your tracks with inventiveness
That leads almost everyone astray
And feel your mastery grow like atomic fusion
O yes
See this formula applied
Again and again
An alchemy of deception
A transmutation of expedience into artifice
So lie on Macduff
Ascend with fictitious aggrandisement
Reap the harvest of fabrication or prevarication
Call any unfavourable press fake news
Gather around you obeisant lackeys
Install them in positions you seek to control
Give them false accolades
But sack them if they err or disobey
Then ride boldly forward
And make America great again

The Power Of The Martyr

All fascists love a martyr
A symbol of pain
That throws guilt on your enemies
The morality of your martyr doesn’t matter a bit
Even a hoodlum will do
As long as you can spin a tale of virtue
Stage a spectacular obituary
A festival of colourful mourning
That implies a new age dawning
Your age, a ruthless, corrupt dictatorship
So you need a model?
Well then
Take the recently dispatched Example A
A self-promoting fascistic yes man recently dispatched
A notable exhibitionist, poser, peacock
Well-known in all the political dives of the land
Who now receives a most spectacular eulogy
A vast crowd of mourners is needed
A fanfare
Media everywhere
Tributes from a social hierarchy
Including the very top brass
Then let the repercussions begin
Name the guilty
Those allegedly responsible for that death
Spread the word
Use extreme language
Lay the blame violently on the chosen enemy
Marshall the troops
Publicise the fake cause
Then hey presto!
Control and tyranny are yours

White Undertows

“One People, ONE NATION, One Leader”. Hitler’s slogan.
“An Act to place certain restrictions on Immigration and to provide for the removal from the Commonwealth of prohibited Immigrants.” The Immigration Restriction Act 1901: (White Australia)

White is the colour of my true love’s skin
She’s the beacon in this life of mine
Yes I am a racist
In the fine Australian tradition
That lasted more than half of the twentieth century
So listen to me
You electors
You guardians of my nation
Take care; beware
Of the green-eyed alien with a foreign air
He’ll take you and break you and lead you to despair
Yes, that’s it
Spread the word
Against unknowns intruding onto our sacred ground
Differences are ugly
We are superior
Ours is the perfect genetic formula
Our homes, our schools, our way of life belong to us
Away with you, you strangers from afar
You uninvited intruders
You intrusive trespassers
Who cares if you are desperate fellow human beings
It’s our land and we make this stand without pity
So leave now intruders if you wish to remain free
That is our draconian demand, your Hobson’s choice

War Guilt


“Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Just look at that
How complete is that desolation!
Chaos
Destruction
Homes, schools, hospitals demolished
No water
Death everywhere
For not just a few
Thousands
Thousands upon thousands
Children
Old folk
Journalists
Foreign aid workers
What punishment
For that arrogant few
The intrusive coterie who started the war
Deserve our revenge
Critics may question us
But our right is sacred
Written in the annals of our forefathers
So die now all of you out there in this haunted land
You will perish as you deserve
According to our plans
For we are rational
And brave and strong
We decide what is might
And this genocide
Is our chosen act of deviant justice
Though wrought by immeasurable guilt and shame

Suddenly There Comes a Ship

On border protection by the navy

Daddy dead, Mummy home
Until old Nana die.
I on boat with Aunty Fat-i-ma
Hana, Ghazal and many more
As on we go and dream.

Boat is sick, wants not to go,
Is like bird without its wings.
Ocean cruel, wind-voice sings,
Thunder growls, cold rain stings
As on we go and dream.

Boat it stinks of fish and shit
Spray wash away no smell.
Baby sick, captain slick,
Life to us now Hell
As on we go and dream.

Boat it shudder and nearly stop
Water around our feet.
Then with a roar,
It start once more
As on we go and dream.

Suddenly there comes a ship
Same as wounded dog we stop.
Strangers with guns and uniforms
Like pirates board our tub
As we go not on, not dream.

royciebaby

On A Villain Or Two

The Quality Of Mercy

The quality of mercy is not strained, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes. ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest, it becomes The thronèd monarch better than his crown.
Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice Act IV, Scene 1.

Ah! There you are
Flinging your blame onto the innocent
Punishing the guiltless
Demonising the impeccable
You are so mighty aren’t you?
Elated amidst your infinite power
A counterfeit king
I notice you every day
Because you are in the news
Your image sells and your status smells
You’re a tough guy on hallucinogens
Throwing your weight around like a playground bully
What do you need?
Why victims of course
Easy prey, fair game, everybody’s fool
The list is vast
Immigrants of course
Vulnerable fellow humans so easy to attack
Women too
Incapable of managing their own bodies
Soldiers, ah yes
Losers and suckers for getting killed
Lawyers who prosecute you
Mere agents of corruption by your political foes
The list awaits expansion via your imagination
And so we sink into the chaos of your vile self interest

Radicalisation

Now there is a crime and the villain’s scot-free
Instead he rises to the top of the tree
His power is infinite derived from deception
Given by cronies an obeisant reception
So forgive me; I have become a radical

Punishing dissent is his standard device
Attacking judges who reveal his vice
Butchering agencies needed to rule
Condemning their existence like an arrant fool
So forgive me; I have become a radical

His standard practice is spreading hate
When criticised he is always irate
When his mistakes are correctly defined
He ensures that his critics are undermined
So forgive me; I have become a radical

Truth and tradition leave him aghast
Allies are subjected to his angry blast
He poses as an agent of justice and peace
But for vile villains he ensures their release
So forgive me; I have become a radical

He invents crimes for each chosen foe
Without just cause he brings them woe
Migrants especially he compares to vile bats
He even accused some of dining on cats
So forgive me; I have become a radical
But I will never kill

Insane Or Inane?

Should leaders such a low level reach
Hoop La, Hoop La
As that head of state’s recent UN speech?
Doodle Riddle Hoop La Hey!

O the angry Boss simply sang this song
Hoop La, Hoop La
That the findings of science are completely wrong
Doodle Riddle Hoop La Hey!

Global warming is nothing but a sham
Hoop La, Hoop La
An unprecedented level of scam
Doodle Riddle Hoop La Hey!

So enjoy the thrill and drill drill drill
Hoop La, Hoop La
Anyone opposed is an imbecile
Doodle Riddle Hoop La Hey!

Then attack the UN as an instigator
Hoop La, Hoop La
Of a hopelessly faulty escalator
Doodle Riddle Hoop La Hey!

See that official, yes by Hell he copped her
Hoop La, Hoop La
For missing a fault with the teleprompter
Doodle Riddle Hoop La Hey!

Can this be true, is that speaker insane?
Hoop La, Hoop La
Possibly not just completely inane
Doodle Riddle Hoop La Hey!

Questions Without Answers

O where will faultless migrants be safe?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
O where will each migrant be no more than a waif?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
For the President is a resident

O where will you find government pity?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
O where will lost souls find a home in a city?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
For the President is a resident

O where will all fugitives find safe asylum?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
O where are the agents not paid to rile ‘em?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
For the President is a resident

O where will compassion be the fashion?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
O where will justice be devoid of passion?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
For the President is a resident

O where will you find a discourse on love?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
O where is the peace found in heaven above?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
For the President is a resident

O where will the history tell the true tale?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
O where will lost strangers find relief on the trail?
Nowhere! Nowhere!
For the President is a resident

Delusions of Grandeur 🐐

A fool went out on the town one day
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
Looking for justice to come into play
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
And who do you think he came across?
Why a politician made of fairy floss
Diddle Diddle Do Dah Day

So he said to the polly do you want my support?
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
If you do I will need a glowing report
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
Said the statesman yes please do give me your vote
You are lucky to find me for I am a G.O.A.T.*
Diddle Diddle Do Dah Day

My word thought the fool how lucky I am
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
To find this saviour for Uncle Sam
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
He sounds so brave and the bond is strong
I can change the world if I go along
Diddle Diddle Do Dah Day

So along he went with the G.O.A.T. of note
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
With a promise soon to make himself gloat
Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
But alas all those words were eloquent trash
And led his poor land to a terrible crash
Diddle Diddle Do Dah Day

* Greatest Of All Time

royciebaby

Emotion Recollected

No Sunsets Or Rainbows

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
 
From the sonnet “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.
 
Strange, O so strange
I want to write a poem
To put pen to paper
Or rather finger to keyboard
To let the ideas flow
Seeking kindness beauty or love as subject matter
But nothing happens
Instead
My mind is riven by something else
And I have to write about it
Please forgive me
It’s Gaza
Do you know what I mean?
Children dying
Old folk crying
Bent politicians lying
It all intrudes into my mind never to leave me
How can I not think about imposed starvation
Mass destruction in densely populated areas
Deliberate killing of innocents seeking food
Obliterated hospitals
Assassination of doctors
Calculated onslaughts on universities
Slaughter of journalists
Mindless killing of social workers
Targets with no evidence of military significance
Ruthlessly chosen by artificial intelligence
Mass-casualty air strikes on refugee camps?
Who is responsible for all of this?
Just look at him
Do you see him?
Yes, there he is
Unmistakeable
Notice the blood on his hands
Lies at his fingertips
Anger in his voice
Guilt in his demeanour
Do you know his name?
Of course you do

On Refugees And Immigrants

Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd. Bertrand Russel

A new age has dawned
Lost souls now are not to be pitied
But feared
And resented
Because they are different
Difference is so uncomfortable to the chosen few
Who must scheme to drive them away
As intrusive wanderers
They must be banished from our chosen land
So march and wave hurtful posters of contempt
Look at that vociferous person leading the rally
Here unnamed because you know her
You have heard her many witless words
Concocted by a brain allergic to thinking
Observe her vehemence
Her demonstrative way-leading anger
Notice her triumphant demeanour
Because she is paid homage by a mindless mob
Devilish disciples
Who cheer her, revere her, and smear her
With the grease of poisonous popularity
So begone migrants whose crime is to be different
Get thee to a rewarding refuge you vile intruders
Any inimical place will do, primed for payment
A counterfeit asylum
Where payola is the yardstick of action
Where asylum becomes a subterfuge
A trickery, a craftiness, a cunning sophistry
And racists cover their tracks

Old King Grump

Old King Grump
Was a crafty old lump
A crafty old lump was he
He loved to fiddle and do a diddle
And was filled with pernicious glee
From his early days he longed for praise
And spread the word he’s exceptional
But upon my word that was quite absurd
He was clearly most deceptional
Before he was King he was a thief
And stole the Queen’s jam gateaus
When apprehended he bent the law
Making judges fall from their plateaus
Yes Old King Grump
Was known for the thump
He applied to every rival
He made his courtiers obey his commands
As a deed to ensure their survival
But the trouble came
When Grump sought fame
With lies about each achievement
All that he said so fictitious and vicious
Left the people with a sense of bereavement
Despite his crimes
Described in these rhymes
Grump increased his authority
His cunning lies were a good disguise
With lucre his clear priority
O great was each wrong and stark the dire solution
But thank Heavens above in a ruse of time
Such behaviour leads to a revolution

Yes things went wrong for King Grump one day
Do Da, Do Da
As trouble in his Kingdom came into play
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
A clever lawyer put his pants on fire
Do Da, Do Da
By proving to the world Grump was a liar
By proving to the world Grump was a liar
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

Like a fool Grump stayed underhand
Do Da, Do Da
When he met a stranger from a foreign land
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
His brain exploded with a weird intention
Do Da, Do Da
He deported that migrant into detention
He deported that migrant into detention
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

The following day saw his follies increase
Do Da, Do Da
He sought more fame as a prince of peace
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
But his good name fell so dreadfully down
Do Da, Do Da
His Department of War turned him into a clown
His Department of War turned him into a clown
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

On another night Grump travelled afield
Do Da, Do Da
In search of a mistress willing to yield
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
He found a whore who was far from aloof
Do Da, Do Da
But he sued the Press for telling the truth
Sued the Press for telling the truth
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

Then he had a willy and started some fights
Do Da, Do Da
But the police in a rage read him the last rites
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
Each loon he employed made ridiculous choices
Do Da, Do Da
And that King was thrown by their meaningless voices
Thrown by their meaningless voices
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

There was Jackass Jim who made things grim
Do Da, Do Da
He banned vaccines for reasons slim
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
Many many victims thereupon died
Do Da, Do Da
As all the truth was coldly denied
All the truth was coldly denied
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

That mad monarch was a signing robot
Do Da, Do Da
Every signature was a smudged ink blot
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
When he had signed he waved that monicker
Do Da, Do Da
For all the world like a harebrained chronicler
For all the world like a harebrained chronicler
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

Time rolled by with Grump raving on
Do Da, Do Da
He threw a fit when frowned upon
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
Several yes men questioned his ways
Do Da, Do Da
And gave him taunts instead of praise
Gave him taunts instead of praise
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

Now strangely enough the truth became known
Do Da, Do Da
As the regal halfwit mismanaged alone
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
That idiot’s mind was haunted by stress
Do Da, Do Da
But a new age of wisdom replaced the mess
A new age of wisdom replaced the mess
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

Yes His Highness Grump met a sorry end
Do Da, Do Da
As the old fool remained quite round the bend
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day
When he died the Royals sought an in memoriam
Do Da, Do Da
But all they could find was a moratorium
All they could find was a moratorium
Diddle Diddle Do Da Day

On The Compliant Collaborator

 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36 King James Version

Just look at you
Totally unsuited for the status you have
But rejoicing in the power you have gained
By loyalty to the Management
You know the Boss is as crooked as a cat’s hind leg
Power crazed
Conscience erased
Disgraceful trails blazed
But he is a winner is he not?
A master in control of the bewildered herd
Compliance is your ticket to the halls of power
But wait a minute
What is the destination on your passport to inanity?
Where goest thou dull fool
As you ride forth on the fake mule of triumph?
What is the plan you are a party to?
Authority? Influence? Dominance? Mastery”
No! No! No!
It’s catastrophe
For you are the vassal of a power crazed plutocrat
A servant of his ill-gotten divinity
A villain whose evil consequence exceeds infinity
So rule on imposter
Govern according to your master’s wishes
But be prepared
One day that tyrant you obey
Will fade away like an ugly redolence
And then where will you be?
Why arraigned before a Judge who knows your crime

royciebaby


Four Problems And One Solution

Guess Who

They see him here; they see him there
Those weaklings see him everywhere
Is he in Heaven or is he in Hell
That damned evasive n’er-do-well?

He breaks the law; makes a bundle what’s more
And rules his roost with profits galore
Is he a king or an elder of note
Or simply a liar who gets your vote?

He claims to love God but waves the rod
To villainous allies he bestows the nod
Is he a saint or an obdurate sinner
Who breaks the law yet remains a winner?

He rules the roost like an irate swine
When criticised he play-acts divine
Is he a statesman who achieves election
Or a mobster who spruiks in a wicked direction?

He plays golf too often instead of working
When virtue is needed he is endlessly shirking
Is he a hedonist as well as a deceiver
And does he exploit each naive believer?

He speaks of himself with untoward zeal
And if he met Satan he’d do a deal
Is he for fascists a last lingering hope
Or is he just simply a prosperous dope?

Robber Don And His Mad Crew

Robber Don and his mad crew spread a hullabaloo
Their brains left behind for a dollar or two
Saw-brain Cain uses legerdemain to cut every cost
Brings tragic harm with alarm so much of value lost
Smarty Pants seeks to advance by wearing liars’ hats
He tells lies we all despise about humans eating cats
Brainless Bob a sickening slob is decidedly obscene
He halts the use and gets abuse by banning a vaccine
Floozy Susie so very newsy manages the cops
Writes reports and then cavorts to cover up the flops
Molly Big Mouth daily sells the odd views of the boss
Because she lies to eulogise she is a total loss
The Boss of State, so irate, is alas much drearier
He’s a reason the promised land is sadly made inferior
The Secretary Of The Fence is naively unsuspecting
And so he hides his sordid past to prevent detecting
The Energy Clerk has many a lark to cleverly entice us
He fakes the truth and is aloof about the climate crisis
Nigel Worth sadly gives birth to a tariff trade agenda
He’s irate, generates hate and is just a sick pretender
Pedagogue Tess spreads duress and slyly vows to cut
Abandons rules, closes schools and is every way a nut
Cruel Ted the Ice-man sees nothing finer than dread
When all aliens plead for pity he exports them instead
So citizens awaken and toe the brave new line
Obey the new rules faithfully and things will be fine
Cast off all tradition to show your true submission
Give true praise to Robber Don and his noble mission
Let the land at his command become a new America
Then dare to taste the glory of our United Esoterica*

*Secrets known only to an initiated minority.

On Ersatz Antisemitism

We are killing children by starvation.
It is justice for crimes against our nation. Bravo!
Old folk die in multiple numbers.
Their death is what true justice encumbers. Bravo!
In a violent manner all homes are riven.
For our worthy cause we are forgiven. Bravo!
Innocents die in a quest for food.
We have excuses so don’t be rude. Bravo!
Journalists perish when seeking news.
A reason for this killing boldly ensues. Bravo!
Hospitals shatter both bombed and shelled.
The excuse is that felons are thus expelled. Bravo!
Many doctors meet a terrible end.
Yet all censure now is round the bend. Bravo!
In this land under fire no one can escape.
So the enemy’s zone is a lunar landscape. Bravo!
Thousands have died for a valid reason.
We refuted the claim that’s the silly season. Bravo!
It’s an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
We justify murder and need no proof. Bravo!

O hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!

That voice of vengeance has no defence.
For in reality it is but pretence.
This is not matricide, patricide, fratricide.
But must be defined as genocide.
In the annals of life you will be remembered.
With the false claims of honour fully dismembered.
Yes, justice demands valid words from a critic.
And to hell with your claim that they’re antisemitic.

On A Mad Ruler

An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying King;
Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow
Through public scorn,—mud from a muddy spring;
Rulers who neither see nor feel nor know

Percy Bysshe Shelley: “England In 1819.”

Just look at you, affirmed non compos mentis
You remind me of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Caught up in deeds beyond your control
That mark you as a plain to see lost soul
What you do reflects your madness
As your every action generates sadness
That brain is fain to weird legerdemain
You’re stupid, foolish, witless, insane
When your lackeys try to hide your insanity
They cannot conceal the appalling mundanity
You speak so loudly but get things wrong
As you vainly sing a figurehead’s song
You haven’t read a book since Adam wore tights
Market reports are your only insights
So much that you do is a ghastly mistake
But all your henchmen deny you’re a fake
They cover your tracks like obedient slaves
Concealing your status as one who depraves
You are dead to the world like a withered flower
Yet you’ll still do anything to retain power
That’s your deal as you steal with pomposity
And your dutiful herd venerates your monstrosity
So heed me now the hour has come
For your timely demise to the beat of our drum

The Power Of Memory

So you think I am fragile because I am old
But there is a strong point that makes me bold
You see there are memories within my mind
That give me a vision sans which I’d be blind
I was there when Hitler crushed all debate
And lied through his teeth to make Germany great
I heard Joe McCarthy spread unnerving dread
By painting the innocent a high-risk red
I noticed a liar condone an attack
So thousands died when he conquered Iraq
I was there for Hiroshima’s genocide
And winced at that heartless homicide
With Gaza I abhor still the grim annihilation
And weep for that suffering generation
And I’ve seen a stark felon rise to the top
And turn each vile scheme into a mic drop**
Yes, those were the ways villains gained domination
And each sordid outcome wreaks abomination
But yet undaunted I remember revolutions
That defy the evil and offer solutions
I was there when Roosevelt wrought the New Deal
To make every poor man’s survival real
I was there when the Declaration Of Human Rights
Showed a universal way to countervail fights
I was there to teach a child to write
And she grew up to inspire the world to unite
This above all I once fell in love
And I knew then more wonder than the stars above

** The act of dramatically dropping a microphone after a performance or speech to show that what has been said or done cannot be challenged or bettered.

royciebaby

On Political Virtues and Vices

Old Soldier

For an 87-year-old protester, June 2025

One old soldier still found a cause
A reason to fight as in past wars
So when a fascist spawned a military parade
He rebelled to prove he is still not afraid
Boldly he came forth putting courage to the test
In the face of that folly he could not rest
Anger had stirred him with powerful velocity
As the narcissist leader revealed his pomposity
There stood the arrogant boss of the land
Swathed in fake glory wrought by his own hand
Yes on a platform stood the brash ghoul
Saluting the troops as a hubristic fool
It happened to be his own natal day
So the chance for more kudos came into play
But our veteran was in no mood to rejoice
So he mocked the march with his stoical voice
Arrest was the outcome of his subtle portrayal
As that former brave soldier resisted betrayal
Heed this now citizens in the face of inanity
Passive acceptance will betray humanity
If you treat fascist folly with obeisant drooling
Each half-wit will continue his risible fooling
Follow then peacefully this veteran’s bravery
Join the cause to denounce the stark knavery
Free the world from such unjust promotion
Let integrity feel your overt devotion
Banish self-promoting lunacy to the moon
Sing the old soldier’s vibrant tune
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
All imposters are unnoticed when banished afar

On The Rule Of Law

Impeach the monster said the leading light
Though he is so strong and loves to fight
He rules the land breaking many a law
And that’s what justice seeks to punish him for
Supremacy’s the reason for his presidential act
To stay in power he distorts every fact
So the people rebel and march in the street
While this leader’s disciples kiss his feet
This boss has a temper and a tongue that is blazing
The fact he’s in power is truly amazing
He ignores every phase of the Constitution
While the tainted Supreme Court is his institution
If you contradict him he grumbles and glowers
While he avidly ignores the separation of the powers
His brain is something many scholars impute
The principal reason is it’s so minute
This man is a bully and flaunts his authority
Though strangely elected by a vacuous minority
He has plenty of weight to throw madly around
Should you dare to object you’re to penury bound
He sings his own praises to promote his survival
He’s in love with himself and has clearly no rival
He poses as a pacifist but takes part in war
Calls dead soldiers losers and suckers what’s more
Vast power for the chieftain is his rule of law
And that’s what his regime was created for
There’s money in it too for him and his friends
As he reaps a foul harvest that never ends
So gather round black hats and do a great deal
Cash in on the justice that is never real
Have the moron put more on the future you crave
And become the nincompoop’s pay dirt slave

The Power Of Small Voices

For Al Green

Look at him, that hero with élan
Bravely defying a demonic man
Impeachment is his courageous cry
Justice is that which must not die
That boss he is an obvious sinner
By abusing the law he’s a ghastly winner
Just look now at his many vile acts
You cannot deny indisputable facts
Have you noticed the ill-famed flimflam
A university that is a sham?
Business records shrewdly hidden
Another crime that must be forbidden
Daniel’s storm was indeed not funny
So the the errant paid up hush money
Thirty-four’s a number demons applaud
So many times to be guilty of fraud
And yes there’s the monster’s famous ill will
On January 6 on Capital Hill
There were missing documents found at his home
Perhaps the work of a counterfeit gnome
That man is over assertive and pushy
Loves a kitten that he calls pussy
He’s a liar, liar with pants on fire
Teller of tales that his henchmen desire
Play-acts to set tariffs but it’s just a story
That makes TV news and brings him fake glory
To end all war he spreads the word
Another fake claim that’s quite absurd
So there dear thinker now is the time
To praise a champion who hates crime
It’s our hero Al and he’s not too late
To lock his enemy inside Hell’s gate


On A Disastrous Casting Vote

Were you there when that vital vote was tied?
Did you weep when the casting vote applied?
Do you comprehend the damage that was done?
Deplore the folly wrought by that iniquitous one?
Yes a diabolical partner was essential
To support a bleak offence that’s presidential
Bring suffering then to all the ailing masses
That’s how a supporting puppet now harasses
New costs for medicine now are a sickening aim
This is the deceivers’ ugly wicked game
Food support is banished from the needy
The funds instead are grafted to the greedy
Student loan costs savagely now will rise
A fact not hidden though they eulogise
There’s a slush fund too for the evil ICE
Whose actions reveal an epitome of vice
The O. of M. and B. *gives all its wealth
To a cunning schemer who uses it himself
An ugly ruse turns business law askew
To win the consequent votes of a chosen few
The grimy rich all gain by these new laws
With tax cuts all fair mindedness deplores
Clean energy is a lost dream of the past
That leaves all wise ecologists aghast
Electricity costs will rise beyond the moon
Which proves this leader is a feeble loon
The environment will suffer infinite decay
That fills all nature lovers with dismay
Shame! Shame! Shame! A casting vote brings blame!
For a deadly deed that sullies a sadist’s name

*The Office of Management and Budget

On Immigration And Customs Enforcement

Take this advice; it’s a vice not nice
There are few more shameful than the agents of ICE
They’re deployed to reap the dividends of sin
Where racist mythologies atrociously begin
They shatter families without just cause
Punishing outcasts who oft fled wars
Habeas corpus the treasure that is gold
Is ignored by these boors with guilt untold
They are agents of folly as their scheme denotes
Invented by a tyrant to win him votes
Racism’s the fruit that these fraudsters crop
Propping up violence that never seems to stop
Sending the innocent to a foreign prison
It’s as if Weltschmerz** once again had risen
Alligator Alcatraz is an ugly gaol
Where demons of injustice let justice fail
American citizenship is no apt defence
Untrue blame or guilt is the stark pretence
Lives are ruined on orders from that man
Families distraught by this deadly plan
Native born are punished without hope of redress
Swept aside like refuse cloaked in ugliness
Many thousands suffer this gloom of animosity
As a leader postulates with fake inane velocity
Just listen to the catch cries echoing around
Citing made up crimes in a land where lies abound
So angels of truth arise; let your voices leaven
Name and thrust these demons out of sight of Heaven
Forever…

**Weltschmerz is a sense of weariness, sadness, or melancholy at the evils or perils of the world.

royciebaby

Moments of Anger

Beyond Reason

Interest flows in the hoodwink season
In the methods used to deceive beyond reason
Denialism that ignores human rights
Is a reason the firestorm of anger ignites
So gather round all you seekers of veracity
And give this poor world a change capacity
If people are dying with no moral cause
The finger of blame points to anger not applause
If houses, hospitals, schools are now rubble
The givers of reasons are in serious trouble
A worthy cause is the claim
But the killing is just the same
Revenge, revenge, revenge
It’s for justice that you avenge
Yea, O yea, O yea
It’s all you can manage to say
There you have it, your vindication
The frail defence of your guiltless nation
You didn’t start the war
So that’s what your killing is for
But heed this now
It’s a crime I vow
It is hard to find a misdeed more evil
If you search the records from time primeval
Pain and suffering is your legerdemain
You drop on the innocent like falling rain
But now beware a punishment is rising
To put an end to your eulogising
Your criminal deeds are now so well known
You will face a future cataclysm on your own

Betrayal

So, you are to change your allegiance
Switch political parties to be precise
Elected in one, you cross over
To a bigger party currently with more power
Shame on you; this is a betrayal
Disloyalty to the citizens
Who voted for you in the other category
You are a Judas in modern garb
Stella Kubler* on steroids
Your new found strength is a sham
A pretence, a feint, a fiction, an act put on
The votes you get henceforth
Will be pieces of silver
Rage on, then, usurper to counterfeit glory
Spread mendacity in your name
Build a reputation on tremulous ground
Dream on of ill gotten supremacy
Watch without pity your former allies
Crumble in dismay in the civic arena
That hostile place
Where survival is linked to duplicity
And triumph so often flows from mendacity
So now your name is written on the wall
For all to see in the drama’s curtain call
You bow and acknowledge the applause
As the lion of approval loudly roars
Sheer dominance seems yours in this ovation
But alas only halfwits show such elation
On with it then. and change the government rules
To bring false joy in a parliament of fools

  • A Jewish woman who betrayed other Jews to the Nazis in World War II.
Childhood Shame

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 18:10).
Villains!
Murderers!
Vicious malefactors!
Eternal opprobrium on you
There is no panacea for your villainy
The children of Gaza suffer in ways that send you to Hell
Killed or maimed by you
As an outcome of your deliberate intent
So Shame! Shame! Shame!
Look at your victims
So innocent
So naive
So sorrowful
So vulnerable
You the warmonger now
The deliberate militarist
The coldblooded sabre-rattler
Are guilty of a crime fit for eternal damnation
You trespass into a world of love sans guilt
Sans compassion
Sans regret
As the angels rattle on your window
E’re they die amidst your evil mastery

Defiance Of International Law

On the forcible interception of the Madleen, an activist vessel bearing life-saving cargo—including baby formula, food and medical supplies for Gaza.

How dare you
Arrest in international waters
A peaceful vessel bearing aid to victims
Of a wicked and demonic war
You are pirates who rule the seas again
Lawless, conniving persecutors
Who take the law into their own sullied hands
To promote their own destiny: unseemly power
Look around you at the shame they sought to rectify
These brave, humble, caring souls
Who ran the gamut of your anger
The endless conflict you have created
The cataclysm designed to give you victory over truth
Their courage is a light that shines upon them
Their concern for your victims
Is a warning bell that rings around heaven
But heed this now
This deed of yours is exposed
The beacon of veracity radiates around you
Reveals exactly what you are
An abetter of fabrication and callous chaos
A cruel and ruthless inflicter of human suffering
So set them free
Liberate them to carry out their plans
To be the epitome of justice
A voice of kindness amidst cruel deeds
A last flower in a garden of destruction
An inducement to end a brutal and savage conflict

The Sovereign Of A Tortured Kingdom

Look at you
The Monarch of Infamy
Lording over the land like a Julius Caesar
Or more accurately, an Adolf Hitler
There you rule
With your epitome of brain-dead disciples
Lackeys allied to you for their own advantage
Obsequious, undaunted by their own vices
Loyal to you regardless of your violations
O My! How clever you are!
Cunning is a better word
A less periphrastic way of putting it
No, even that is not precise
Self-seeking
Self-serving
Self-obsession
Or egomania
There, that’s closer to the truth
Not complete though, for you are a certified criminal
So rule on vile culprit
Give your empire its manifest destiny
Make imperialism your moving frontier
Shake your fist at friends to foster your own industries
Punish lawyers who find you guilty
Sack officials who are not obedient and loyal
Invent invasions so you can defile immigrants
Tell lies with the aplomb of a triumphant padrone
Promise mastery that never ensues
And all will be fine in your world
Until all your wicked, evil, sinful drones
In the end share in your inescapable demise

royciebaby

Angst

On The Rule Of Law

Criminals despise the judiciary
And love to exploit a defenceless fiduciary
Some plan harm for virtuous judges
And violently proclaim their sordid grudges
Have you seen that vociferous gangster
Who rules the domain like a deranged prankster?
He is in fact the boss of the land
But all that he does is underhand
He twists the law to meet his needs
And his legal yes-men hide his misdeeds
His criminal record is easy to find
Fraudulent business deals come to mind
He’s cunningly orchestrated his power
To threaten the world in his witching hour
It’s exactions here and exactions there
Warnings and menaces everywhere
Kindling hatred and consequent fear
Demanding payment throughout the year
So look out for him in his posture grim
Heed him not; don’t let him win
He is a scar on the human face
The laws he enacts are an utter disgrace
Spread the word bring triumph gestation
Throw the flock knowledge through education
Give his crimes mention snd raise the alarm
Reveal to the populous his deadly harm
Have the bells ring out an accurate warning
Announce the arrival of a new day dawning
Summon the sages; let all people hear
It’s the voice of truth that lawbreakers fear


Core Values

So you want to be elected
And you’ve just lost in a landslide
Get back to core values you say
The true spirit of the Party
O dear me
That would be disastrous
Let us look and see what they are
First, the myth of free competition
When exclusive control for the few is the aim
A reflex action
Next, a balanced budget
Above all beware of social spending
Cut outlays on pensions, health and education
And to Hell with the ne’er-do-wells
Then excise the poor and fund the rich
Letting silk stockings prosper tax free
Next we have small government
Ah yes! That is your answer to your shame
Privatise everything
Sell off the family jewels for the good of the rich
Fund only important matters:
Defence and keeping our borders safe
Ah yes, enemies are such handy assets
All hail to the Military Industrial Complex!
It keeps the money flowing in
So there
Now you have it
The spirit, the soul, raison d’être of the party
A way of life that must be protected
What our soldiers fought and died for
The leitmotif of our future electoral success


Lament For Gaza


Pity for Gaza’s not antisemitic
Censure is valid from any sane critic
Ethnic cleansing cannot be excused
The reason for it here leaves one so bemused
Children should not die of cruel starvation
Countless innocents don’t deserve privation
Civilians perish here time after time
There is no doubt it is a war crime
So label the black hats and ring those bells
Drown out the cries with your death knells
Name the dead on the last standing walls
You need to be quick before each one falls
Yes buildings are shattered; streets are clattered
With wreckage as if no function mattered
Hospitals, schools are brutally demolished
The laws of decency are cruelly abolished
Justice is the claim and fake worthy causes
Are not valid when compassion pauses
So the blameless die in shocking numbers
Without the validity justice encumbers
O yea! O yea! O yea!
What is the outcome of this? you may say
Where is the decency, probity, propriety?
Where is the fair play in that society?
What is the culprit’s excuse for these deeds?
The reason he ignores all key human needs?
The answer alas is justified revenge
One more crime for a felon to avenge
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
A cruel exploitation of questionable truth
It’s another reason for this tragic blight
Those two wrongs can never make a right

On The Senseless Signatory


He wields a pen as a sword of shame
Destroying lives for him’s just a game
Look at the way he signs the paperwork
Shows it to the cameras as a queer quirk
Writing his name with the demeanour of a god
How ludicrous he is and decidedly odd
He looks so important, a pig in a poke
If it weren’t so distressing it would be a sick joke
He seeks to create a distinguished ambiance
But all he has is a fleeting transience
Signing this and signing that
He’s a wild card, the Joker, a camouflaged brat
The results of his actions are lives destroyed
Just look at his face; he’s so annoyed
His countenance reeks of vast indignation
It portrays him as boss who rules the nation
His every gesture reeks of power
But the juice of his gimmickry is deadly sour
He changes lives with each showy gesture
Killing peace of mind with every investiture
And so on he goes
Creating pain and hiding the woes
Routine for him he’s turned into display
For so many victims creating dismay
His admirers revere him and bow to his wishes
In his broken world they admire the fissures
That is the way his pretence flows
Where it will end nobody knows
This fool has created a fake identity
A weird, strange outcome for a nonentity
Some of us long for a different direction
And yearn even more for the next election

There’s Danger In The Stranger

Beware! Take care!
It’s a foreign monster with curly hair
He’s different, a stranger
Thus he must be a danger
This is our home, our native land
There’s no place here for this alien band
So call out the guards; put him away
In a privatised venture where misfits must stay
Hide him, deride him
As no one can abide him
He’ll poison our blood
So nip him in the bud
This realm is ours to foster and keep
This dream of intrusion would ruin our sleep
So begone intruder, it’s time to go
Your presence here is nothing but woe

Wait a minute… There’s a thought
By a genius cunningly wrought
Racism’s present throughout the land
You can use it in a manner underhand
Just attack immigrants with harsh laws
And the voters will rally around your cause
Assault without mercy and publicly defame
Then electors will rally around your game
This covers your tracks with no overt guilt
And you win a ballot with no blood spilt
So sock it to ‘em with subtle abuse
Put covert prejudice to cunning use
If you can, with élan, give indefinite detention
And your evil intent won’t get a mention
That will be a brilliant defection
A masterly way to win an election

royciebaby

More Thoughts For Our Times

Fake Statesman


Look at me; can’t you see
My ignominy
That truly shapes your destiny?
O yes, I am such an overt winner
But in so many ways I am a sinner
I mark every day with cunning display
Of overt virtue that’s always astray
I pose as a saviour with misleading behaviour
Flooding people’s minds with deceitful gravure
I’ve no regard for the common man
His troublesome welfare’s not part of my plan
Instead my attention at fever pitch
Is solely designed to favour the rich
So I defund welfare and sack humanity
And cancel rich taxes with sheer inanity
I foster lies to promote my schemes
As my image is tainted by my evil dreams
This gives me power and I rule the land
With counterfeit glory and an iron hand
I construct a government that bows to my will
With obedient puppets ready for the kill
So justice is bent to match my needs
And I’m never punished for my sordid deeds
To pay tribute to myself with my lustful desire
I conspire with ire to build an empire
I crush refugees as if they were foes
And denigrate migrants compounding their woes
O how lucky you are to have your quorum
Secure in the hands of a victor ludorum*

*Latin for an overall champion. Literally “victor of the games.”

Homeless

Dear Sir, my teacher
I am so glad to be your pupil
You are kind to me and hear my story
So I thank you
With all my heart
I must tell you Sir,
That I have lived in my short life
In five countries including this one
Yet nowhere can I say I feel at home
My true home was Yemen, land of torment
I left it in a quest for peace
For a new homeland
With a longing for gentleness and harmony
All in vain
Here in your land as elsewhere
I am a stranger
Difference breeds animosity
And I feel it every day in my bones
My family has trouble speaking your language
Though I speak soundly and have learned it well
Immigration has an evil name to some
People seem O so aware of differences
In what we eat
In what we wear
In how we speak
And there is a subtle warning
In the term border protection
So many leaders decry foreigners in their policy
So here I am Sir
Still longing to belong
And yes, dreaming of a home I do not yet have

The Affluent Dangerous Idiot

On A Rightist Ruler


There he is, emerging from perdition
Changing a world to fit his ambition
But see the people defy him
Bravely in unison deny him
Thousand upon thousand marching in defiance
Proving they have for him no compliance
Read the banners reflecting their pain
Displaying resistance again and again
No more
They implore
Persistence is war
Justice is what laws were created for
Rebellion is in the air
And truth is a universal prayer
See how this scapegrace has risen
With behaviour fit for a prison
Winning support with fake pledges
With lies decorating the edges
Crushing all opposition
Such a deadly position
So there, now it’s true
There’s but one thing left for us to do
Rebel! Rebel! Rebel!
Send the mobster off to Hell
Stand! Stand! Stand! In the name of truth
Let far play provide the absolute proof
Have no one suffer below him
Let the media make sure we all know him
Make the power of integrity cast him aside
To harness the truth as a rising. glorious tide

University Assault

On a recent attack on universities

University: From universe: universus ‘combined into one, whole’, from uni- ‘one’ + versus ‘turned’ (past participle of vertere). Source: OED

How dare you seek to extinguish this sacred fire
That lights the learning all academics desire
Defunding courses because what they teach
Creates learned persons beyond your reach
Condemning students for speaking their minds
About evil deeds no punishment finds
Imposing your will as a ghastly priority
Based on the whims of your authority
Rave on then fool with your rightist rule
Your deeds condemn you as an overt ghoul
Just now we have finally heard enough
Of your deadly orders and irate bluff
You say you’re the source of truth and fairness
But you show no signs of righteous awareness
You menace, intimidate, bully and curse
And that is the reason you’re exposed in this verse
You demand obedience and approved teaching
But your condemnation is so overreaching
Your actions remind one of the Carlsbad Decrees
When Metternich made scholars fall to their knees
O the mind has mountains the studious climb
And the consequence of study is so often sublime
There is no place there for intrusive hands
So begone dull fool who never understands
Be silent not violent and earn an ovation
For the only way you can serve this nation
And let academe become a divinity
A unity beyond infinity

Solitary Wanderer

Ah! I am so lonely
My home is now a cauldron of death
And I have left it far behind me
Now I travel the world
Seeking refuge
Where kindness quells my loneliness
My fear
My alarum kindled by danger and hate
My quest for belonging takes such a long time
It seems like aeons
I wander and I wonder
When I will find freedom from hate and peril
Not here it seems
Unfriendly comments are everywhere
Looks askance
Tales of my false iniquity
Myths about my ominousness
So I linger furtively on this foreign shore
Longing for kindness
Praying for justice
Pleading for a chance to share all that I am
In a venue of hospitality
How I long to tell my story
Be an active part of a new community
A catalyst for love and true understanding
An agent for positive change
For enriched ethnicity
In the wonder and variety of another culture
So punish me not for being a stranger
Please. Please. Please.
And do not send me to El Salvador

royciebaby