Writing - Entertainment

 A more fundamental question, why do I write, sprang from last week's rather bleak posts. It is okay to express your opinion in your work, after all, we have freedom of speech, but when we write, surely part of the exercise is to entertain. If we only write to educate, there is a danger that our work will become rather dry and dull. That in turn, may shrink our audience and therefore, the messages we are trying to share will be limited. 

A bit of sketching practice, yes I know that I need it, but reflecting a comedy. 

The Class sketch is a comedy sketch first broadcast in an episode of David Frost's satirical comedy programme The Frost Report on 7 April 1966. It has been described as a "genuinely timeless sketch, ingeniously satirising the British class system" 

So, a classic example of using humour to deliver a serious point and so education with entertainment. 

But a second point of writing is to entertain without weaving in some clever message to make a point. Writing is a flexible medium that can be adapted to deliver whatever you want it to, so experiment with different approaches and deliver your messages without fear. 

Joe Root 

Entertaining can include real-life remarkable instances of skill or endeavour, as occurred yesterday when cricketer Joe Root produced a batting master class. The watching crowd and fellow professionals were exceedingly impressed and appreciative. What Joe did was give the nation a lift for the day. Even if you aren't a fan of cricket, we can all appreciate excellent performance in all walks of life, and these should be applauded. 

God Bless 

 

Poetry Thursday 94 - Fiscal Folly

 Government, from the Latin locution gubernare - which means steer a ship/vessel - describes the governing authority in charge of running a State. 

This definition is limited in its generality and yet all-encompassing. However, in the last 40 years, in many countries, it has come to mean protecting the economy, with the corollary that the duty of care to the general population has been diluted. 

Fiscal Folly

 

The fiscal rule rules that Reeves adopted,

not labour but from Tory co-opted,

designed by the conservative greed machine,

intended to keep ordinary folk where they've always been.

 

 

So what are we looking at now?

A world without hot and cold running water

because water companies aren’t making enough profit.

Health services dictated to by Big Pharma,

who only produce drugs with maximum profit.

Artificially priced energy to protect CEOs salaries,

by caps that ensure good profits.

All protected by insurance companies

that never allow claims to reduce profits!

 

Where is the support for the living,

the government elected to be caring,

naively elected on false promises,

bought for by sponsored media chancers?

 

Polarisation of opinion resulting in fascist dictators,

or countries run by lunatic trendy lefties.

The breakdown of government services to the people,

because they eat into the ill-gotten gains of oligarchs.

Use of the populace as a commodity

to be abused and mistreated at the whim of idiots,

culminating in real idiocrasies.

 

Turn back the clock to a better time,

when caring for each other was prime,

when government’s first aim was to serve,

and to make all life a sacred preserve.

©David L Atkinson May 2025 

God Bless 

Writing - Government

 Government, from the Latin locution gubernare - which means steer a ship/vessel - describes the governing authority in charge of running a State. 

This definition is limited in its generality and yet all-encompassing. However, in the last 40 years, in many countries, it has come to mean protecting the economy, with the corollary that the duty of care to the general population has been diluted. 

Some countries are more aware of the needs of the general population, but unfortunately, the countries that are the drivers in world trends have adopted self-created fiscal rules that are designed to protect businesses and their operations. This, in its turn, has led to businesses focusing on profit before service. Hence, you have reported massive profits for firms running services when those services are failing to provide the support they are contracted to deliver. In the UK, the water companies are a case in point, but some parts of the NHS, Education, and many public services are also guilty of putting profit before people. 

The addition of tax regimes that governments need to raise money to fulfil their functions is equally devious. We work most of our lives and pay tax, we then buy 'things' and pay value added tax, we pay part of our wages in pension building, and then when we retire, we pay tax again on our pensions. All of this when millionaires and more avoid paying tax on their vast wealth. I read an unverified statistic stating that since the 1970's the income of millionaires has risen by over 1000% whereas the income of the average worker has risen only 24% over the same period. 

We often hear that businesses can't agree pay rises for their workers but the same is never said of the salary of CEOs. 

In my opinion, there is a groundswell of unrest that is changing the nature that electorates are voting. Is it possible that the mantra 'come the revolution' is coming closer to reality. 

God Bless 

Thursday Poetry 93 - MYGGWY

 It would be incorrect to describe me as a deeply religious person. I do believe in a higher being, and it seems that in spring there are more signs for me than at other times of the year. A friendly vicar reminded our congregation to look for the moments when He speaks to us. 

MYGGWY

 

A fact everyone should know,

irrespective of who we are or where we go,

it can happen without having to seek,

but at some point It will speak.

 

In a language of Its own,

universally familiar to all yet unknown,

that must be literally sensed,

 rather than experienced.

 

Seen in vivid natural colour,

in some well-known place or other,

or heard broadcast on a device,

while sitting doing something nice.

 

Or perhaps on an everyday chance,

a place visited during life’s usual dance,

when you are suddenly stricken,

when you feel your heart quicken.

 

Perhaps the clarity of a musical note,

or the intensity of a colourful mote,

then you know It has spoken through,

the senses creation has given you.

 

Only a few of daily chances,

to be receptive to deified advances,

in a language that is perceived,

which some deny that can be believed.

 

Observe carefully as you travel through,

and may your God go with you.

©David L Atkinson May 2025 

God Bless 

Writing - MYGGWY

 It would be incorrect to describe me as a deeply religious person. I do believe in a higher being, and it seems that in spring there are more signs for me than at other times of the year. A friendly vicar reminded our congregation to look for the moments when He speaks to us. 

I have a theory. Consider the arts. Music, sculpture, painting, drawing, writing and so on. As a cynical and impatient child, I believe that I once said that art was a waste of time, along with any other aesthetic activity. Thank goodness for the growth of wisdom with age. Not that I am a particularly sagacious person, but I have learned enough to appreciate beauty in a wide variety of things. But what has this to do with God? 

Consider the photograph of the rose above. It was one of many on the bush growing in my neighbour's garden. However, it wasn't the physical appearance that struck me first, it was the perfume. Now I know humans with the help of AI and 3D printers could produce something almost identical, but it has been happening on our planet for millennia. 

The point being that the colours are rich, there a slight variations and the scent is amazing. The colours in the little flower above are graduated perfection. 

Now, of course, art has many forms and is intensely subjective; the skills involved can be taught, but the ideas are more ethereal in nature. You can range countless examples, beautiful music, amazing paintings, meaningful sculptures, and amazing storytelling. It is in that aspect of art that your God speaks to you. In fact, the message is intensely individual. Music has lots of examples, such as a beautiful song that appeals or a violin piece that grates. The truth is that the beauty of a piece is in the realm of the beholder. Quite often, the differences between good and not-so-good can be indistinguishable to an outsider. 

For example, I am not a great fan of violin music but really enjoy the theme tune to the movie Schindler's List. On the other hand, the ever-popular 'Lark Ascending' I find turns me off totally. 

It is my belief that all forms of art speak to everyone on an individual level. It is my hope that when I produce poetry, it strikes a chord in someone's mind as it did in my mind when I wrote the piece. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 92 - Nowhere

 Inspiration this week came in the form of a song written about 60 years ago. Who knew that John Lennon and the Beatles could be so prophetic? 

More of that in a moment. I was encouraged to search out a poem I wrote five years ago that seemed appropriate. 

Camaraderie

 

How do we know what the future will bring?

Here we are at an uncertain time,

guessing the viral outcomes of the thing,

not knowing the end of this pantomime.

 

All we require is a hint or a clue,

it is central to our current drive,

what will result from this big ballyhoo,

how many of us will die or survive.

This is just aspirant speculation,

over which we have little mastery,

instead we need to turn the attention,

to fellowship and camaraderie.

 ©David L Atkinson April 2020 

Nowhere man 

This was the first song performed by the Beatles that didn't involve romance or love. The lyrics, or some of them at least, are so relevant to a certain political situation pertaining to the present day. 

He's a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he's going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me? 

https://youtu.be/8scSwaKbE64?si=30BojxVXYDdY8mb4

Click on the link above to hear the full song. 

 

God Bless 

Writing - Interpretation

So you have created your first book/article/poem, and after editing and rewriting, it is ready to present to the outside world. The scary bit. After all, everyone's a critic or budding author. Irrespective of your marketing process, you need to prepare yourself. 

Most comments are very kind, but some may seem a tad barbed. Avid readers may treat you as if you have invaded a sacred place. I could list a number of comments that at best could be described as being 'cruel to be kind '. One attitude to adopt in self-defence is that people read for a myriad of reasons and an equally massive number of styles. Don't take it personally. 

I write poetry because it is intensely personal and the audience is incidental, as are their opinions. 

Even so, the stories we produce are our offspring, and it is natural to be protective. So be proud of your efforts and accept the fact that people are entitled to their opinions. You don't need to be offended,  after all, there are lots of folk out there who struggle to write in sentences. 

God Bless