Sunday Review

Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change, a bridge across our fears of what has never been before. 
Audre Lorde

Of course, you can find a quote to suit most perspectives, but this one resonated with me as I reflected on what we've published this week at Poetry24. Stafford Ray's Yes We Can got us underway, urging a purposeful dialogue between Palestine and Israel, and we were pleased to welcome Natalie Moores debut poem, Glass, a head-spinning illustration of how female entrepreneurship continues to be stifled in the world of business. The theme of women attaining more prominence in the running of things was also picked up by Lavinia Kumar. Women, Libya considers the prospects for those women who have played their part in the conflict and, now have hopes for key roles in the rebuilding of their country.

Still in Libya, Philip Challinor's pithy Why We Fight notes the UK foot in the door, as bids are put forward for the contracts necessary to repair the damage done.

Then, back in the UK, Heather Wastie offered us Rising to the Challenge, after reading about a man who occupied a 100 year old beech tree in an effort to save it from being felled.

And, only on an October day when the temperature rose to 29.4C (84.9F), could we publish Anthony Baverstock's A Capitalist Christmas Song. So, if you'll all put your ice-creams down for a second and raise your voices...

Hail! The Annual bourgeois  spendfest!
-ching-a-ching-a-ching, the cash tills ring-...

Have great week, and a Happy Chr... Oops, got a bit carried away there!

A Capitalist Christmas Song

Author's note: Sung, of course, to the tune of ‘Deck the Halls . . .’

Hail! The annual bourgeois spendfest!
– ching-a-ching-a-ching, the cash tills ring –
Time to bloat your children’s toy chest!
– ching-a-ching-a-ching, the cash tills sing –

Hark! You’ll hear now
Christmas ditties;
– jing-a-ling, have a sing, while you shop –
In the mood for
yuletide pretties?
– jing-a-ling-a-ling, so buy the lot –


Hit the mall and grab a trolley!
– ching-a-ching-a-ching, you’re welcome in –
Tis the time to spend your lolly!
– ching-a-ching-a-ching, see Santa grin –

A.T.M. won’t
give more cash out?
– boo-hoo-hoo! What to do? Tell you what . . . –
Punch your pin and
max your card out!
– ching-a-ching-a-ching, we’ll take the lot –


Hear the Sally Army playing.
– boom-de-rum-te-bum, de-dum-crash-tum! –
“Pennies for the poor,” they’re saying.
– boom-a-bang-a-thrum, de-too-tle-tum! –

Salve your conscience
with some copper
– rat-a-tat, look at that, fifty p! –
But spend your pounds in here, dear shopper!
ching-a-ching-a-ching
Thank God we’re free!

© Anthony Baverstock

Holidays Arrive Early With The "Christmas ...
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Anthony Baverstock is from Colchester, reputed home of Humpty-Dumpty.