POETRY

Microfiction Monday, ABC Wednesday, more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Microfiction: Little Angel’s first
party. Long white dress so boring
though. Add pointy hat, broom,
black cat. Preacher will love
the Baptism.

POETRY

I’ve been writing for over a quarter century and only tried poetry about
three years ago, so I’m a writer who also writes poems. I’m totally
untrained in any writing form so I don’t always follow rules. And to me
this is good, especially for poetry, for to me writing is simply a matter
of communication and expression. As long as something is expressed,
and someone wants to read it, you’re a poet.

I’m now on Facebook

WORLD NEWS: The disclosure by
WikiLeaks of the reality of the Iraq campaign
makes painful reading, with the Pentagon ignoring
torture and lying about not having records of deaths. I
usually worry that disclosures can put forces in danger, but this
is dependent upon authority being honest.

BRIT NEWS: The term ‘social cleansing’ is being used to describe
the govt’s bonfire of the benefits as it will drive the poor
into ghettos away from the affluent. The Lib Dems
are already traitors to their ideals and the
Tories are confirming the ‘nasty’ party.
They both risk the electoral
wilderness, leaving the
UK a one party state.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Friday Flash 55 – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

FANCY

What do I fancy writing today?
What fanciful ideas will waylay,
The thoughts buzzing around my mind,
What fanciful fancy will rise from behind?
Poems are often reality based,
Yet a fancy is illusion, contradiction chased

FLASH 55 – BLOCK

Fiction: He lived for his writing. So when writers’ block began to strike,
it was obviously serious. At first, it lasted only a short while before an
idea came, but then it seemed another idea would never come. But
just in time, a spark! So he put the gun down … would keep his brains
… for now.

MASQUERADE

Halloween can be great fun,
Dressing up daughters and sons;
Sending them out to have a lark,
Reflections of what once was dark;
But are we glad those ways are gone?
A time when man and Earth were one

© Anthony North, 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

LEADERSHIP

Microfiction Monday, ABC Wednesday, more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Microfiction: He threw his daughter’s
fantasy book off the balcony. ‘Flying
horses don’t exist,’ he said. Later a
flying Daddy was spotted.

LEADERSHIP

Don’t we just love our leaders! Well, in most cases, no. We live in a
world where we vote for them and we still can’t get it right. Why is
that? Maybe it’s to do with the caliber of people who go forward for
leadership. They all seem to think they know what’s good for us. This
is what leadership should NOT be about. It should be about asking
what is needed, and then trying to provide it. A leader should
facilitate, not dominate.

I’m now on Facebook

BRIT NEWS: Left wing Ed Miliband
just wins the Labour leadership over his
older brother, David. The unions sealed it. The
parliamentarians won’t be happy. And Britain lines up
for an old style ideological battle with the Coalition but with
no stable sides. So, Kid Brother, we’re watching you.

HEALTH NEWS: Scientists identify a genetic defect that could cause
migraine. So many breakthroughs coming, but I often wonder if we’re
placing too much in our genes. Culture, environment and upbringing are
being left behind. But also our free will to choose. Does genetics
absolve us of blame?

GREEN NEWS: Comprehensive study of plants around the world
shows 22% of species are at risk. From societies to ideas
to nature we are destroying diversity. Yet only by
having plenty of options does evolution
continue. I guess that means
we’re devolving.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Friday Flash 55 – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

***TRY

We always do it to gain entry,
Thrive as we can in our country,
Indeed, it’s all quite elementry (?),
It even works writing poetry;
We don’t really need to ask why,
It just always ends when we try

FLASH 55 – THE WALK

Fiction: He always walked tall. It was his way. When he met his love
he walked even taller. Work did, of course, interfere with their
relationship. But even after returning from the war, wedding plans were
made. It took six months to walk tall again for the wedding – and so
different with prosthetics. But he prevailed.

SOAR

Do rocks soar in space?
No atmosphere – negative grace;
They certainly soar coming through the sky,
This you definitely can’t deny,
Crashing more violent than any war,
Terrible to see what Dino saw

© Anthony North, October 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

HALO

Microfiction Monday, ABC Wednesday, more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Microfiction: Little boat, big churning ocean.
Friendly but misunderstood. The sea always
tries to see people off with a wave.

HALO

We all have a symbolic halo, defining ourselves by our personal morality.
Once upon a time, morality was more exact, with clearly defined
standards of behaviour. It’s a good thing this is no longer the case, as
much of that morality was imposed by the powerful. But is the free-
for-all we have now any better? Instead of dictat, maybe we need
generally agreed guidelines – not mandatory, but just enough to stop
that halo slipping and tripping you up.

I’m now on Facebook

EDUC NEWS: As university
places become rare in UK, they’re
beginning to look at GCSE results when 16
to see who are the committed ones. This is a bad
step. What next? Assessment & advice before they’re off the
potty? The machine society requires tailor made cogs, I suppose.

MEDIA NEWS: BBC boss says Murdoch’s Sky is becoming dominant
force in Brit TV but isn’t investing. Very true, which outs the
disease of modern media. It is supposed to be the
spotlight on culture, but in working for profit
alone, the lack of culture takes away
our investment for the future.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Friday Flash 55 – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

THE PASSING

Pass right by, gone in a flash,
No time to repeat, no rehash,
Life is like that, often a bitch,
We’re stuck with results, no magic switch,
So when we think of things passing by,
Remember they have outcomes, often sly,
And prepare yourself well ahead,
For happy results, instead of dread

FLASH 55 – NO SEX PLEASE

Fiction: He was addicted to sex, but as he got older it became a
burden. ‘You’re putting too much stress on your heart,’ his doctor
advised. ‘If you don’t stop this addiction, you’ll kill yourself.’ Well, he
fought his addiction – he really did try – but in the end … I suppose it
was a kind of suicide.

BREAKTHROUGH

Smash the wall, talk it out,
Found a treasure, no more doubt,
Fight a war, sue for peace,
Hopes for all conflict to cease,
Breakthroughs, though, can often vex,
Sorting a problem leads to the next

BRIT NEWS: Overseas aid will target
projects that assist national security, says
govt. Well, that’s it then. Assistance will forever
have an agenda. The worth of a life becomes dependent
on whether a Brit life is at risk or not. If you don’t threaten us,
don’t expect any help.

BRIT NEWS: Blair’s memoirs are out. Boozed too much; loved his
loo; wants us to SO understand why he went to war;
doesn’t apologise – for New Labour, or Gordon
Brown … read all about Dr FrankenBlair
and his Monster!!!

© Anthony North, September 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

DANGER

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen items and a couple more
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. Here’s hoping you enjoy your visit. Plenty
for everyone here so do call again next week.

I’m now on Facebook

MICROFICTION

‘Hi Big A,’ said Ye Old York as he visited his
son. I don’t know, he thought, how
adolescents grow.

DANGER

There seems to be an unwritten law of the universe that the dangerous
is beautiful. From a fiery volcano to the stereotypical sultry brunette,
the law holds true. It is deep within our culture and psychology. But
why is this so? Is it that we love to court danger, and thus romanticize
it into its spectacular imagery? Or is it fundamental to our creativity? I
think it is. History outs the evidence – the most dangerous, most
violent nations in history were also the ones who gave us the most
beauty in the arts.

PALM

Palm trees are usually associated with
hot places. I live in Britain, where palm
trees are rare. Though we do have
lovely summers. It’s normally a
beautiful day.

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science
to religion, politics to crime

BRIT NEWS: Ex-deputy Prime
Minister John Prescott tells Iraq
Inquiry that much of the intelligence
for war was tittle-tattle. Quite true. I suspect
most intelligence is tittle-tattle, and relies on intelligent
leaders to interpret it. And here lies the problem.

HEALTH NEWS: People won’t be forced to retire at 65 in UK. Soon
we’ll no doubt be expected to work to 70. Health evangelists
constantly bombard us with spoil sport advice. Many becoming media
hypochondriacs. Are we becoming slaves to our health?

BRIT NEWS: Survey shows one in 5 have sought counselling,
showing shift in attitudes towards therapy. Does it really?
Or does it show decline in family & friends, and their
ability to listen and help. Celebrity influence
excepted, of course.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

BEGINNING?

We need a beginning and then an end,
No, said the mystic, why do you offend?
The natural cycles go round and round,
Stopping and starting can only confound,
Get into the flow you western clown,
No end no beginning’s where peace is found

KISS, EVERYONE?

Fiction: They had argued. She’d run out. He’d followed. Caught her.
Spun her round. They gazed into each others eyes and kissed.
Immediately the CCTV cameras turned; people took out their mobile
phones. Pointed. Selection was quick. Thousands clicked on – went:
‘awww’. The media tycoons felt proud. Studio Earth was thriving …
Another scene … and another … and ….

SPELLBOUND

Their’s are there, they’re,
Can you see it, are you aware?
Don’t be astounded, I simply care,
Startling, even though I want to rebel,
Taboos and standards I want to fell,
But in the end it’s got to be sound,
We make no sense if not spell bound

HALF WAY

Just begun, long way to go,
Keep going, stamina I’ll show,
Half way, It’s got to be,
Do you get it, do you agree?
Nearly finished, feel divine,
That’s it! The last line

JOKEY TALK

I need some leverage in this argument,
Break their stance, make it spent,
Crack a joke – it always works,
Ridicule a remedy for so many quirks,
You see, the best debater is not necessarily right,
He just understands that words have might

WORLD NEWS: Another disaster
– this time floods in Pakistan. They
happen more often than wars, yet we can
spend trillions on men and equipment ready for
the battle, but hardly a penny on a dedicated world
organisation to react to disaster. What a disaster the human
race is at times.

HEALTH NEWS: FSA says meat from offspring of cloned cow has
entered UK food chain. Let’s not be diverted from real issue by saying
it’s bad for us. There’s unlikey to be danger in eating it. The danger is
in the depleting gene pool if it becomes the norm. Diversity is how
we and nature thrive.

WORLD NEWS: Many US billionaires to pledge half their money to
charity. Very nice of them. Though it reminds me of the mass
British philanthropy at the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Created loads of benevolent institutions to get the
poor accustomed to the big one – the factory.

© Anthony North, August 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

ZZZZZZZZ

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. Here’s hoping you enjoy your visit. Plenty
for everyone here so do call again next week.

I’m now on Facebook

MICROFICTION

Fiction: She was naked but for a sheet. She
remembered the bottle. Picked it up. Knew it
was it’s fault. But her clothes were not inside.

ZZZZZ

The title is usually found in a cartoon bubble and represents sleep. I
use it to point out that western culture is asleep. The great music,
literature and art is all from the past. The ideas in politics and
philosophy are inane. Business has become empire building and the
pursuit of profit alone. Advancement is through pointless celebrity.
Work occurs in a technologically regulated mediocracy. Eccentricity,
daring and inspiration are shunned as anomalous or dangerous. I am
quite sure that if ET approached us today, he will see a planet as a
cartoon parody of its yesterdays, with the moon like a balloon, with
neon lighted ‘ZZZZZ’ flashing, saying, ‘nothing to see here’. I hope
we wake up before I die.

HELP

Help is good. It is human to be helped and want
to help. Yet if help tells us anything, it is that we
are not the individuals we think we are. We thrive
only when together, with help being the means of
our survival and progress.

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science
to religion, politics to crime

HEALTH NEWS: Study says home
births are riskier than in hospital, though
better for the mother. Mindst you, advice always
follows fads.

BRIT NEWS: Ministers told departments to prepare for 40%
cuts. They’re making it sound worse than it is so when it isn’t
we’ll like them.

EDUC NEWS: BBC Panorama learns only 18 Brit teachers struck off for
incompetence in 40 yrs. That few? Ridiculous and bad for education.

CULTURE NEWS: Lee Siegel says time of great novelists is passed.
I don’t think its gone; merely that publishers are not looking
for them. Only interested in quick sales.

BRIT NEWS: Plan is for Referendum on Alternative Vote in May
2011. I guess there’s no alternative to it. We don’t need
to change constitution. Parties are problem.

BRIT NEWS: Brit Chamber of Commerce says economy
growing but there’s dangers. Yes, with cuts now
ongoing, look out for double-dip Recession.

CRIME NEWS: Brit courts are owed £1.3bn in
unpaid fines. Now, call me stupid, but
wouldn’t those fined be the most
obvious not to pay? So why
aren’t they chasing them?

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

PREPONDERANCE

Lots of ideas come my way,
A preponderance, you could say,
Take out ‘pre’ and take out ‘ance’,
Leaves lots to ponder, when the world I glance,
But they all come from my condition, or is that ‘ance’?
Preconditioned ponderings mean it’s not down to chance;
Lots of ideas come my way,
My mind melds with world, you could say

FLASH 55 – THE POP SINGER

Fiction: They went mad as he sang, screaming and gyrating in their
tens of thousands. Many said he was the greatest pop singer ever. A
global phenomenon, many followed in his path, bringing fame to a
whole new generation. Arguments that he was retro were ignored. And
after every gig, the kids would shout: ‘Thanks, Pops.’

TREASURE

Diamonds, gold, precious stones,
Compacted elements, wealthy zone;
Such things are treasured more than life,
Sometimes more than kids and wife,
Yet why are treasures always rare?
Can anything beat a breath of air?

THE GENTLE WAY

Fiction(?): It was to be a gentle revolution, Mr Bigbiz knew. Praise
would come from high up – especially in the way he managed to make
the vulgar the norm. It began with democracy – personal
empowerment – ‘cos that would inevitably lead to mass consumerism.
Then they all had fun – continually shopping, continually partying,
continually grasping for more. And such benefits – counselors, therapy,
crime, rehab, prison – plenty of work for everyone. And don’t forget
the pension plans, perfectly balanced by fast food to kill ‘em off before
they receive. Yes, as Mr Bigbiz picked up his Trident, he knew the
pursuit of happiness would be Hell.

SONG FOR MOM

Always there when needs are great,
Constant guardian of my fate,
Her image strong within the mind,
Always waiting for me to find,
Memories flood whenever I delve,
Though she died when I was twelve

BRIT NEWS: The Queen
has addressed the UN and
visited Ground Zero. UN Sec Gen
said she was an anchor for our age. So
very true. Her links with the past are vital for
us to remember from where we came.

WAR NEWS: Brit Army to hand control of Sangin, Afghanistan,
to US. Since 2006 nearly 100 Brit troops have been killed here. We
were simply spread too thinly.

CRIME NEWS: The second spree shooter in the north of England in a
month is dead. Cornered, he shot himself after 6 hr negotiation. It
always ends like this – it’s a form of suicide.

WORLD NEWS: So Russia and US have swapped their spies. Some
from each side want to settle in UK, including Anna Chapman,
it seems. Her ex-husband already has publicist. A ‘star’ in
the making?

BRIT NEWS: Speaker of House of Commons wants to
abolish bad behaviour during PM’s Questions. Don’t
be ridiculous! If politics isn’t confrontational we
don’t thoroughly debate, and law is deficient.

GREEN NEWS: Climate unit in East Anglia has
been criticised for lack of openness. An
important point. If scientists are
secretive they do damage to
understanding of climate
change.

© Anthony North, July 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

VICTORS

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. Here’s hoping you enjoy your visit. Plenty
for everyone here so do call again next week.

MICROFICTION

Fiction: But for a helping human hand the
monkey wouldn’t be sat at tea with the lady.
He thought: is this what the opposable
thumb is for?

VICTORS

Are the victors the best people to win? As I see it the winner of any
conflict usually doesn’t deserve to. This is because they made so many
mistakes that luck was the only thing that saved them. I guess the
victor is the one who makes the fewest mistakes. But the problems
really begin once a victor has muddled through to a victory. In winning
they haven’t only won, but they go on to control the story of how
they won, and how a particular society will be from then on.
Knowledge is how they decree it, and history is manipulated. Our entire
history has been as decided by victors.

CAMERA

People spend so much time taking photos
nowadays we must ask if they really experience
the moment themselves? Are our memories
comprising of images instead of experience?

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science
to religion, politics to crime

BRIT NEWS: Cameron warns
of pain of cuts while deputy Clegg
warns no return to Thatcherite cuts. Good
cop bad cop, or differences already?

ROCK NEWS: BBC poll topples Beatles as greatest band
ever. The new greatest are Led Zep. To me both of them are
great in their own ways.

WORLD NEWS: Iran says UN embargo will prevent talks on nuclear
power as they cosy up to Russia. If a new east/west tension comes
it will start here.

BRIT NEWS: Labour’s Ed Balls says immigration from within EU needs
tighter controls. Totally agree, but wouldn’t it be totally illegal?

WORLD NEWS: Cost to BP oil spill to soar over a billion. Rubbish. No
matter what it costs, oil industry will pass it on in price rises.

BRIT NEWS: Big debate on urban foxes after two babies
savaged in their bedroom. Driven out of countryside
there are 34,000 in cities.

BRIT NEWS: Another sign of return to sanity. New
govt to scrap idea of ‘bin tax’. Rubbish
disposal not to be charged
per amount.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Thursday Poets’ Rally
Writer’s Island

EIGHTH DAWN

Dawn approaching, land to till?
Soon they’ll do it – it’s called free will,
Love and jealousy not quite there,
Hatred brewing under the stare,
Desire bathes them where they lay,
On this dawn of the Eighth Day

FLASH 55 – ETERNAL DEBATE

Fiction: He was a great debater and felt cheated when he died and
went to heaven. He went to God – demanded to be returned, arguing
God was a fraud. Why? If he was a good God he wouldn’t let people
die. To his satisfaction, he won and was returned to life eternally.
Bored, he craved death.

THE GIFT

M.E. – cfs – hardly a gift,
Pain, fatigue – health adrift,
An eternal nuisance – body won’t do as it’s told,
Everything slow – feeling so old,
Yet total life change was the way to fight,
Raise self will – learn to write,
And then each morning when I get out of bed,
Remember …
If I’d carried on as I was, I’d now be dead

THE MEADOW

Fiction: He remembered the meadow; a beautiful, tranquil place. Of
course, farming was eventually wiped out. Bad for the planet, they
said, with all that methane; and what was red meat doing to us? Not
to mention cows’ rights, and respect for nature in general. And so the
cows were ‘saved’ – let free to roam the meadow – lost their use –
became extinct – erased without a trace. And what of the meadow?
Well, the synth factory stood there now, belching its fumes in its race
to feed us. Of course, the alternative feeding program was also under
way. Eco friendly, they stood around waiting to be farmed. Kill two
birds with one stone, they said. Respect nature and solve the
population problem. And we humans DID produce less methane.

SUPERHERO

Heard a scream in the night,
Jumped out of bed, ready for a fight,
Threw on my clothes, ran into the street,
Poor girl – three thugs, there to beat,
They turned, stunned – from the situation they shied,
I’d put my underpants on the outside

BRIT NEWS: Chancellor warns welfare
& pensions will be included in spending review
as some ministries expected to lose 20% of their budget.

BRIT NEWS: Army chief warns money for troops in Afghanistan must
NOT be cut despite deficit. Agree! If we can’t afford it pull them out.

EDUC NEWS: Universities minister says students are burden on tax
payer. When fewer went they powered the professions. Now it means
nothing.

TV NEWS: Study finds people less bothered about swearing on TV. I
guess we’ve been worn down. But it doesn’t make it right.

BRIT NEWS: Thinktank thinks cuts will put 750,000 public
sector staff out of work. That, and an ideological
need for smaller government.

FOOTBALL: The World Cup is on. South Africa
centre of the world. A big smile across
Soweto. Come on England!!!
Eng-luuu-nd …

© Anthony North, June 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

Follow me on Twitter

REASON

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. You’ll also see a linked essay and story from
my archives. Why not call back later to read them?
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

I’m now on Facebook

MICROFICTION

Fiction: She had quite a shock when she
moved the jars. Her pathologist husband
had mistaken his work for the preserves
– again!

REASON

Reason is such a reasonable word – or so we think. Throughout history
things have been reasoned – in a reasonable kind of way – but the
simple fact that reasoned truths of the past are no longer reasonable
shows that reason is maybe not so. Similarly, in the modern world
various ideas of what is reasonable and reasoned exist and cause
conflict. Perhaps there must always be a reason behind reason – and a
reason that has little to do with a reasonable approach. Indeed, an
analysis of the thought process of reason explains how this happens.
Reason is a way of thinking on what is self-evidently true. Yet self
evident truth is not reasoned. It is based within belief. Hence, there is
a contradiction in what becomes reasoned, and how the reasoning is
reasoned out. Does that sound reasonable to you?

PETS

Fiction: I’m surrounded by my pets. They
live in the house with me. There’s a male
and female and three young pups. They’re
always playing with me. Real, pedigree
humans. Bless.

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science
to religion, politics to crime

WORLD NEWS: The BP Gulf oil
spill continues. Are we really to believe
the entire oil industry didn’t realise you could
have an open wound?

BRIT NEWS: There’s a myth on proportional representation
that European govts work. No; so weak all decisions made by
Dictatorcrats in Brussels.

MONEY NEWS: £645bn Euro rescue package stuns the markets. And
think how much more they’ll need if contagion goes on. Where’s the
money tree?

HEALTH NEWS: Experts say 6 hrs sleep essential for good health. I’ll
have to tell all the fit, elderly people I’ve known who didn’t.

BRIT NEWS: New Cabinet: PM David (hug a hoodie) Cameron
with deputy Little Nick Clegg. Chancellor Friar Ken Clarke
& Home Sec Maid May. Defence Sec: Liam (of) Fox(ley)

BRIT NEWS: Cont Robin Hood Cabinet theme, financial
team is Chancellor of Exch, Sir G(eorge) of Osborne
with Chief Sec David outLaws.

BRIT NEWS: Cameron Hoodie has to have a
Foreign Sec. He’s Yorkshire so no H.
Meet William ‘ague. Hope Boris,
Sheriff of London, behaves.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Thursday Poets’ Rally
Writer’s Island

FLOATING

Floating, floating, shouldn’t be there,
Should have stayed down, no one aware,
Of when I drowned him, let him sink,
But now he’s floating – I dare not blink!
His finger’s pointing in a macabre way,
Straight at me, I begin to sway,
Then wake up screaming – I couldn’t go deep,
Condemned to floating just above sleep

FLASH 55 – THE SOLDIER

Fiction: He knew it could come to this. Always had, always will. The
soldier lay on the battlefield dying. The gas, grenade, bullet, shot,
pike, sword, arrow, spear, flint had done its worse. The politicians
praised; the people were saddened; but only he knew man’s folly.
Couldn’t tell. And the children grow to continue the cycle.

RECIPE

Ingredients, two, hard to mix,
Stir thoroughly – should do the trick,
Simmering heat, melting nice,
Getting hot – add plenty of spice,
Coming to boil – beware of lumps?
Should be ready in about nine months

DREADFUL DECISION

Fiction: She was in a dreadful state, sitting, almost comatose, in the
chair. I’d tried to pacify her, helping her to grasp hold of rationality,
but it was no good. Just a moment ago we had been enjoying a quiet
meal – yet, how easily things can change – an awkward action, an
unthinking word. I knew, now that the violence had eased, what
decision I had to make, even though it went against the grain. ‘I’m
sorry,’ I said, ‘I was stupid. Yes, dear, you are a better cook than
my mother.’

IMAGINARY FRIEND

He let me do almost what I wanted,
Just had to ask, my wishes granted,
Everything seemed so much fun,
Never a moment to be glum;
But …
‘Twas in my imagination that he was a friend,
The bank man’s got no more to vend

BRIT NEWS: So we now have
Liberal Conservatives. What a love
in – ’til Lib Dem left & Tory right begin to
have their say. A house of cards?

HEALTH NEWS: Study shows work stress raises risk
of heart trouble in women under 50. Oh? Everything puts
stress on heart. It’s called living.

BRIT NEWS: Fixed term Parliaments are a real possibility. Well, I didn’t
expect that. Why not? Because the real possibility is it won’t work.

EDUC NEWS: Middlesex Uni making moves to phase out philosophy.
This is a tragedy. We are removing the very idea of thinking
from modern life.

BRIT NEWS: New govt says Identity Cards will be scrapped.
Good. Civil liberties to return after totalitarian New
Labour thrown out.

BRIT NEWS: Many manifesto pledges scrapped
as Tory/Lib Dem coalition finds its feet.
But should it be a Story/Limp
Dem Coalition?

© Anthony North, May 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

Follow me on Twitter
Good place to see what I’m discussing
from my Archives

NEWTON

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. You’ll also see a linked essay and story from
my archives. Why not call back later to read them?
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

MICROFICTION

Three girls sang. Slaves threw themselves on
lions; gladiators slit their throats. Nero burnt
the house down. Too early for girl bands.

NEWTON

Keynes classed Isaac Newton not as the first great scientist, but the
‘last great magician’. He delved into all things esoteric & holistic,
searching for the meaning of the universe, his ‘science’ a bi-product
of his quest. It is to the disgrace of science that they try to forget
this, leaving us with a cold, compartmentalised, materialistic
scientific world that tells only half the story.

DRAFT

Fiction: It will be a brilliant story about …
well, as soon as I put the words down on
paper, to explain, they disappear – blown
away by the wind. I try to stick to the
prompt, but I can’t spell.

THE CREATION ACCOUNT

I’ve been fascinated with Genesis for many years. Over that time
I’ve asked myself a simple question: is it mere myth, or is there real
knowledge to be found within the poetic nature of the words? …
… read more …

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science
to religion, politics to crime

BRIT NEWS: Lib Dem leader
thinks cuts to help economy could
cause Greek-style unrest. Forget the
Greeks, just look at UK’s past.

HEALTH NEWS: Report says Brits eat & drink too
much. Have they ever considered all the health over-
exposure is driving us to it?

BRIT NEWS: Labour manifesto suggests failing public services will
be taken out of local control. They brag about such totalitarianism?

WORLD NEWS: Richard Dawkins & Christopher Hitchens ask human
rights lawyers to produce case against Pope over cover-up. Pure
politics.

BRIT NEWS: 3 Labour MPs facing charges from expenses scandal
to fund defence at public expense. It’s lonely on Planet Contempt.

GREEN NEWS: Developing nations say west is offering cash
for them to sign up to climate deal. We’ll do all we
can except our own cuts.

BRIT NEWS: Tory manifesto says the people
will have more decision & control over
their lives and services. Ah, I do
love a good fairytale.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Thursday Poets’ Rally

FISSURES

Stormy relationship; see the cracks,
If only we could turn our backs,
A brief respite to cement our love,
What’s that in the sky? A dove?
I yearn for peace – let them flock,
You’re angry, nature – I’m just a rock

AUTUMN OF THE SOUL

When Alan Jeffries walked into the nursing home to see his father he
saw the most horrific thing he’d ever seen in his life. For there, in the
corner, Percival Jeffries rested one hand on his walking stick and held
seventy five year old Rita Madden in his other arm. With a slight
shake of the body, he struggled to control his deep cough and spittle
whilst his and Rita’s lips met in what can only be described as an
awkward but definitely passionate kiss …
… read more …

WONDER

I wonder what I’m going to be,
What is my ultimate destiny,
I’m sure I’ve not reached it yet,
Even though in my ways I’m set,
I wonder what I’m going to do,
What is left to amaze, imbue

FLASH 55 – SAVING A LIFE

Fiction: They said she was mad, saving her husband’s mistress’s life.
She just jumped in the lake and fished her out. Things changed then,
mistress dumped amid a new affection for his wife. She’d hoped this
would happen. You can’t fight a ghost. And it didn’t cost much to pay
the guy to push her in.

RANDOM LIFE

Everything random, ebb and flow,
Sometimes fast, often slow,
Negotiate obstacles, try to thrive,
Occasional failure, take a dive,
But whatever life throws your way,
Just make sure you’re there to stay,
‘Cos in the end the choice is yours,
Don’t give in – fight; don’t stop to pause

BRIT NEWS: Lib Dem leader attacks
Labour on human rights record. Love it!
Labour DID bring in human rights laws. Parties
CAN’T get it right.

BRIT NEWS: Brown says he made a mistake not bringing
in tougher bank regs sooner. Did you hear that? Brown says
he made a mistake!!!!!

GREEN NEWS: Researchers advise northern Europe could get more
cold winters due to low solar activity. I could do without that news.

BRIT NEWS: Election Debate is a boring name for our new politics
reality show. How about: I’m a Prime Minister … Get Me In Here!!

BRIT NEWS: 20,000 Iraq/Afghanistan war vets in criminal
justice system. Call is made for Cabinet post to look
after welfare of vets. Yes!!!

BRIT NEWS: Volcanic ash from Iceland closes
UK airspace. Is it panic? If it continues
will life be degraded for the
economy? We’ll see.

© Anthony North, April 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

Follow me on Twitter
Good place to see what I’m discussing
from my Archives

JOKES

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read
the essay, current affairs, themed mini mag
with fiction & poetry, or just read the lot.
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

MICROFICTION

Fiction: ‘I wish I were a man – I’d join the Navy,’ said the poster. I
stood by it a long time and said yes! I’d been bullied enough. I am.

THE SIGN

Fiction: I looked out for the sign – knew it
was coming up. Looked left, looked right,
then hit it. Should have read it: Beware
of the sign.

JOKES

The best way to explain a good joke is as an outburst of illogic.
Something is said or done which assaults the rationality of the
audience. The result is a mild neurosis in the form of laughter, which
can be classed as a form of hysteria. Get the whole audience going
and the comedian has induced mass hysteria. The psychology of
humour can go even deeper. For instance, it has been noted that
many comedians are depressives or have feelings of inadequacy. This
is best seen in the sad face of the clown. In this sense humour is a
defence mechanism. Indeed, many people use humour to cover
shyness, or simply to assist in overcoming adversity. The joke, it
seems, is an excellent form of therapy. In recent years, the joke has
had to resist abuse from political correctness. Many comedians have
to think about what they say. This is a disgrace. A society that
cannot laugh at itself is ruined. Joking, you see, is a serious business.

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science
to religion, politics to crime

BRIT NEWS: Transport Sec
wants to lower alcohol limit for
drivers to equivalent of 1 pint of beer.
They always take good things too far.

HEALTH NEWS: NHS wastes £487m in 5 yrs on
outside consultants. Always thought huge health
spending provided more cash for the pointless.

BRIT NEWS: Genealogists say aristocrats so prolific that 1
in 5 Brits may have their genes. Jolly good. I’m off to the Lords!

SPORT NEWS: Beckham out of World Cup team thru injury. England is
having bad luck this time, but bad dress rehearsal means good
performance.

EDUC NEWS: More than 80m UK university vice-chancellors earn
more than Prime minister. No wonder money for serious
research is in decline.

HEALTH NEWS: Doctors say too many going to see them
with minor problems. Well, they used to cope before
super-surgeries and ‘efficiency’.

BRIT NEWS: Brown didn’t get it right at Iraq
Inquiry. Forces spending hasn’t always
gone up in real terms. What’s the
word I’m looking for?

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
ReadWritePoem – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Thursday Poets’ Rally

AVATAR

Click it and you know so much,
Transient knowledge, social putsch,
Embodied in his energy,
He is all our destiny,
And soon from screen to godly form,
Life is changed – new morn, new norm

THE WORLD’S A STAGE

Fiction: It feels so good to be back in a theatre. Far too many years
have past. Maybe you remember me? I’d often starred in London’s
West End. It is true that I could be hard to work with. I’m a
perfectionist, you see, and I cannot abide bad acting. It actually drove
me mad. It is a crime caper I am in – not the best of openings for my
relaunched career, I must admit – and the other actors are terrible. My
cue comes. I stand. I approach the worst of the actors. My hands
encircle his neck. The audience gasps. I squeeze. I take my bow. I’d
escaped from the hospital yesterday and the world is now my stage. I
move to the next theatre and sit in the stalls, awaiting my cue.

TO BE

I’m barely conscious but getting there,
I’ve planted the means to become aware,
Seeding and multiplying and growing strong,
Increasingly they grow – so many, a throng,
Learning technology, communicating their worth,
Those humans creating a conscious Earth

FLASH 55 – SAVING PEOPLE

Fiction: The pharmaceutical company’s doctors came to the aid of the
medical authority straight away. It was thought the virus had been
beaten long ago, but the new wonder drug guaranteed it, with only
300 dead. The CEO was obviously pleased. The publicity campaign had
gone well; and he had plenty more diseases to release yet.

CHILD MEMORY

Got all excited; got a new toy,
Gee whizz!! Great!! Ultimate joy;
A new computer, play all day,
Jump up and down, getting my way;
I remember it well, a childhood peek,
Must grow up – it was only last week

FAME HUNGER

Nuzzle food, have a sniff,
Brazen emotion, willpower stiff,
Hunger isn’t all that bad,
Head for Size Zero – makes her glad,
Photo shoot and sing her song,
Enjoy life now – she won’t live long

BRIT NEWS: A BA dispute,
grumblings in the rail network –
maybe it would be best to stay at
home this Easter. Oh, you may have no
choice.

A THOUGHT: Fast living destroys creativity. This is
because they don’t have time to get bored. And boredom
drives creativity on.

TV WATCH: First episode of new Doctor Who has been premiered.
Many changes but writer Moffat wrote some of the best stories in
past. I wish him luck.

A THOUGHT: The thing about ‘do-gooders’ is they think only they
know what’s best. This usually makes them ‘do-badders’.

BRIT NEWS: Labour may be sending Brown out for tea
in the houses of local heroes. Makes a change
from kiss-a-baby nausea, but still sick.

A THOUGHT: Moses talked to a burning bush,
whilst Einstein dreamt he rode on a beam
of light. Culture changes inspired
image, but is it the same?

© Anthony North, March 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

FREEDOM

Theme Thursday, Booking Through Thursday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

BLOGGER BARD

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read
the essay, current affairs, themed mini mag
with fiction & poetry, or just read the lot.
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

MESSAGE IN A …

Bottles can contain many life-changing substances from medicine to
booze. Hence, they can have good or bad effects on us. The English
language uses ‘bottle’ in many ways. To lose one’s bottle is a lack of
courage; to bottle things up is to worry; a bottleneck means you’re
going nowhere soon; a bottle-washer is the bottom of the heap.
‘Bottle’ is a metaphor for so many human traits, and container for
much of the best and worse of us. And like a bottle we can stand up
straight or shatter so easily. There’s so much of us in the message in
a bottle.

READ MELD

Where does reading a book take you? Nowhere.
At least, not physically. Reading is to transport
the mind into the mind of another – the writer.
What the writer has achieved is a subjective
account of place, story or idea. Yet words are
insufficient as a medium. For completion another
subjective view is required from the reader. And
the two together transform the words into
thought, and if successful, action, thus
transforming the world.

FREEDOM

True freedom cannot exist – we always need rules to guide how our
freedom and excellence is expressed. For instance, you have the
freedom to excel in, say, football or as a violinist, but it can only be
expressed within the confines of a team or orchestra. What we think
of as freedom is actually a balance between freedom and unfreedom.
Lose the balance and we have totalitarianism or anarchy, the latter
still ending up as licence for the strong to dominate the weak.
Individuality can be counter to freedom. It makes you answer only to
the culture to which you belong, which is inevitably guided by the
powers-that-be. Important to this process at the moment is the
degrading of family. Traditionally, family is the defensive line between
the person and the powers, so ‘individuals’ do the job of the powers
for them. Such power in society forms naturally. Indeed, it often feels
like a conspiracy is going on. This is not the case – but the powers
need such scares so as to make detractors seem crazy. Of course,
you seem to have freedom, but totalitarianism isn’t total. As long as
you toe the line of the ideology they leave you alone. Hence you can
be anything you want to be as long as you have a mortgage, fat
pension plan, love shopping, wear designer clothes, buy a new car
every year and holiday often.

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science
to religion, politics to crime

BRIT NEWS: Think tank says
working week should be cut to 21
hrs to boost economy & improve society.
I think many workers would disagree.

WORLD NEWS: Obama expresses ‘strong support’
for Tibetan way of life. China doesn’t like it. China needs
to decide: in the world or not?

BRIT NEWS: Lib Dems start to tout terms for a ‘pact’ in a hung
Parliament. This nightmare could keep a Labour govt in power.

HEALTH NEWS: Middle-aged are to be targeted to lose weight. Just
remember, it’s natural to put on a stone ot two at that age. It’s inevitable.

BRIT NEWS: Many celebrities & tycoons caught up in tax
avoidance investigation. Makes a change from
demonising so-called benefit cheats.

WORLD NEWS: Hit squad that killed Hamas commander
used cloned British passports. Has Mossad caused
diplomatic blunder? Is it that easy?

BRIT NEWS: Survey suggest 1 in 4 employers
planning redundancies. After the
Recession the real pain hits.
There’s a long road
to recovery.

RATTLER’S TALE

A Voyage of the Imagination

One Single Impression
ReadWritePoem – Friday Flash 55
Heads or Tails – Three Word Wednesday
Sunday Scribblings

RUNNING

Engine running, getting us there,
Camera running – at Telly we stare,
Project running, keeping us primed,
Clocks are running, taking our time,
Everyone running from Bob to Tom,
What is it we’re all running from?

THE AFFAIR

Fiction: He’s having an affair – I know he is. Here I am looking on and
knowing his wife doesn’t know about it. And as for the other woman?
A real psycho. Oh boy, this could be trouble and I’ve got to tell you,
I’m worried! Well, I’m going to have to stop them – leave clues –
somehow put an end to this before it gets … Well, it could be bad for
me – very bad. I’m a bunny and no one’s boiling me.

I DON’T BELIEVE

I don’t believe a single thing,
To me only the facts can sing,
This I place with hypothesis clever,
Thinking it out is then my endeavour,
So I don’t believe scientist or priest;
I believe I don’t believe, at least

FLASH 55 – A METAPHOR

Fiction: I’m just a metaphor. Everything I do is to someone else’s
script. It’s as if I’m just a character in a story. Or at least, that’s how
I feel. Damn this life! Nothing is my own, even though I’m told it is. I
was happy before we invented the individual and I thought I wasn’t.

THE RUMOUR

The rumour started innocently,
Inevitably progressed malignantly,
People reacted perniciously,
Many died ultimately;
It became a truth indubitably,
And as always we behaved stupidly

POWER MAD

I got the power, you want some more?
Such meagre payment – there’s the door;
I can generate easily enough,
Don’t want to pay? Tough;
I got the plug – can pull it; you’ll freeze,
You’ll pay what I want! Yeah! I’m a tease

BIG DREAMS

Got a big dream, always have,
Nothing can make you so very sad,
‘Cos dreams that big just can’t be done,
Life’s impossible, absolutely no fun,
Unless you limit them by little dreams,
Go step by step, and then you’ll beam

BRIT NEWS: Children from poor
homes are a year behind in language
skills by age 5. Is this to do with intelligence
or a sense of failure?

GREEN NEWS: UN report says many Multi-Nats would lose
30% profit if forced to be green. Rubbish! They just don’t want
to adapt.

BRIT NEWS: Inflation rises to 3.6%, wage freeze imminent & Barclay’s
Bank make over £12billion profit! And they think Brits will stay calm.

HEALTH NEWS: UK regulator says councils will struggle to cope with
care of ageing population. So will we all, but we’ll manage it.

BRIT NEWS: Less than a third of juries understand a
judge’s directions. Then it’s up to the judge to
speak more clearly and make sense!

CELEB NEWS: So Tiger Woods publicly apologises.
I’m uncomfortable with such shows. It’s to
do with career; and what’s it got to
do with us?

© Anthony North, February 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel