BRAVE GREECE

Daedalus and Icarus by Charles P. Landon

Daedalus and Icarus

On the verge of the abyss

Take a leap of faith,

Against the odds of their myth,

Against the advice of the raptors,

And jump onto paradise

To save their enslaved

Mother and wife.

They proudly left behind

Their burdens and blames

And now they glide light

Through winds of disdain,

Through purgatory’s clouds

Amongst Europe’s cheers,

As they escape from their funeral,

As they escape from their fears.

Copyright © 2015. Tony Martin-Woods (A.M.A.)

Todos los derechos reservados. All rights reserved

SOLIDARITY

Prime Minister,

This is dramatic.

Humanity can’t wait.

Her Majesty,

Children die,

rotting in the streets.

Chancellor,

Let’s pull our weight

to end this misery and hell.

We understand, Tony,

Equipment, water, food

can be sent in due course.

But we’ll do things properly,

we’ll connect with the nation

capturing the imagination

of every decent mind and soul.

Let the public jump

off our glorious cliffs

with hand-made parachutes

and Mickey Mouse full kits.

Let them fly to the jungle,

to run a triathlon,

in the scorching heat,

wearing a fur coat

(a plastic one, I mean).

White nose Johnny

will sing a love song

in 5 different languages,

naked,

in the North Pole.

Oh,

and Chris Evans can auction

a red gorgeous Ferrari,

on a BBC show.

Bidders will flock!

…and forget about politics,

forget it, you fool!

…forget taxing the rich

they could leave us soon.

…forget about solidarity,

charity will just do!

Copyright © 2014. Tony Martin-Woods (A.M.A.)

Todos los derechos reservados. All rights reserved

Japanese workers in California. Flickr. Library of Congress

SWEET LITTLE SPERM

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm.

Show us what you are made of,

thrive to compete,

reach for the stars

in England’s global dream.

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm.

Don’t worry if it’s just white tissue

where you have to navigate:

The world’s changing fast,

don’t refrain to adapt

to exciting new terrains.

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm.

We don’t want any

foreign,

faster,

bastard

sperm

to get there,

to get anywhere,

in fact,

before you.

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm,

if you’re idle, you’ll be dead.

I know there is no egg,

but who needs more of them

if technology will soon

allow to replicate,

even in their solitude,

individuals like you

who can’t find a mate?

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm,

it’ll do you good.

You don’t want to be fat,

like me,

or have cholesterol.

Football game on campus, McGill University, Montreal, QC, about 1900. Anonymous. Flickr.
Notman photographic Archives – McCord Museum.

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm,

it’s in your DNA

(and in my IDS),

like our sporting traditions,

discipline, skill,

our culture of duty,

glorious league tables,

sacrifice, routine.

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm,

but do not demonstrate!

Do not complain!

Do not affiliate!

Put a brave face

and get on with it!

Keep calm, carry on!

Don’t believe what anyone says,

just believe in you.

Keep moving your tail,

sweet little sperm.

Your welfare depends

on the vibrancy of your motion,

your speed up the stream

and so does my wage,

and my job,

and the profits of thousands

of savvy businessmen

who trade

with the energy

of the movement

of your tail,

sweet little sperm.

Rubber Bands
A worker at the recently opened Dunlop Factory in Cork slicing rubber for tyres. 13 September 1935. Flickr. National Library of Ireland

Copyright © 2014. Tony Martin-Woods (A.M.A.)

Todos los derechos reservados. All rights reserved

THE ECHO OF THE STORY

The withering heir

Gave a name to the empire

Of brave ornaments

And healing chronicles

For the tarnished glory

Of the ruling heroes

Who tamed him

With whisky

And killed him

With a bullet of gold.

And now it’s David,

the star of the quiz show,

Who has the key

Of the victim’s coffin.

Rule Britannia

Britannia rules the books

Copyright © 2013. Tony Martin-Woods (A.M.A)

Todos los derechos reservados. All rights reserved.

IT’S A FREE MARKET

Lively chit chat

At the infallible tempo

Of the clinking of glass.

A drizzle of jazz

On live canapés.

Waiters who model.

Our man

Keeps his business cards

Very close to his chest.

No rush, no push.

He knows what is right

He knows who to approach

He knows how to wait

He knows when to fall

Softly and warmly

On his pickled prey:

The greedy relation

Who awaits with a smirk

For the usual courting.

Education,

Health,

Weapons,

Research,

Transport,

Land,

It’s all up for grabs,

It is all fair game,

It’s all the same,

It’s all just money,

At the end of the day.

(We don’t discriminate cash for its colour).

And

When the deal is ready,

The cloths of both parties

Drop discreetly on the floor.

Only Private Eye

Knows the strength of their bids.

No chance

For clean

Spreadsheets,

No need

For financial

Prophylaxis,

No point

In trimming the hedges.

This is,

Brutally,

A family affair,

Lubricated with the spark

Of Conservative Champagne.

Sneaky voyeurs

Pay a good price

For the steam in the room

Where business thrives,

Where public assets

End up privatised,

Where bastards in arms

Trade our demise.

Broadcasted in Bloomberg

For the rest of the world!

Close-ups available

In the salmon press!

Copyright © 2012-2015. Tony Martin-Woods (A.M.A.)

Todos los derechos reservados. All rights reserved.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

Aisles of stone along the river

Fed tall incestuous mills

With innocent blood and talent

In tamed pastures of England’s glory.

Selfless surrender of joy and pride

Bread, butter, beer and sweat 

Casually awaken plastic dreams

Watered down metal pain

Fractured spikes of wooden bones

In hung-over dark junk yards

Selfless flowers of art spring

Organic rot of Northern progress

Copyright © 2012. Tony Martin-Woods (A.M.A)

Todos los derechos reservados. All rights reserved.