It’s a funny old world, not necessarily the funny that makes you laugh, although I can still manage a wry smile for the tragedy that is humour. I started this year with a poem, by Dannie Abse, the poet brother of politician Leo Abse. I rather pre-empted the New Year by posting this short poem,Continue reading “It’s a brand new year – can we look after it properly this time round”
Tag Archives: Dannie Abse
Last Words
by DANNIE ABSE Splendidly, Shakespeare’s heroesShakespeare’s heroines, once the spotlight’s on,enact every night, with such grace, their verbose deaths.Then great plush curtains, then smiling resurrectionto applause, and never their good looks gone.The last recorded words tooof real kings, real queens, all the famous death,are but pithy pretences, quotable quotationscomposed by anonymous men decades later,never withContinue reading “Last Words”
Llanbadarn
by Dafydd ap Gwilym translated by Dannie Abse I don’t give a monkey-nut for their prissy talk. Sunday – forgive me Lord – is an amiable time to chase the chaste. After church of course. But no unburdened smile or sweet kiss ever from one starched lady of Llanbadarn And me, so randy, I canContinue reading “Llanbadarn”
The old gods
by Dannie Abse The gods, old as night, don’t trouble us. Poor weeping Venus! Her pubic hairs are grey, and her magic love girdle has lost its spring. Neptune wonders where he has put his trident. Mars is gaga – illusory vultures on the wing. Pluto, exhumed, blinks. My kind of world, he thinks. KidnappingContinue reading “The old gods”
Pathology of Colours
by Dannie Abse I know the colour rose, and it is lovely,but not when it ripens in a tumour;and healing greens, leaves and grass, so springlike,in limbs that fester are not springlike. I have seen red-blue tinged with hirsute mauvein the plum-skin face of a suicide.I have seen white, china white almost, starefrom behaind theContinue reading “Pathology of Colours”
Robin's Nest 