A Golden Age: some gimmickry of our times

God Save The King

Look at me
Wow!
A new age you can see
Now!
I am so very bright
And my mind is ruthenious*
I am always right
As I am a genius
I persuaded the ignorant mob
To vote me into power
I did such a wondrous job
That it’s now my victory hour
You can hear the angels sing
Let the church bells ring
For I am the king
Although I’m a fool
Who dropped out of school
I’m still determined to rule
So heed my song
I can do no wrong
And obey if you wish to belong
Share my dream
Fit in with each scheme
To be part of a glorious team
Yes, this is a golden age
Where power is all the rage
So obey me or rot in a cage
And let the voices ring
God save the king

*From ruthenium: a rare hard silvery-white metallic element occurring in platinum ores and used especially as a catalyst and to harden alloys.

The New Croesus**

To a not elected overlord

What’s my pitch?
I’m a son of a bitch
Who is very rich
What am I famed for?
It’s not what I’m named for
But what I should be blamed for
I tear people apart
Break many a heart
And make justice depart
Yes I take toll
When I’m on patrol
As I have control
They’ve given me power
To make people cower
And turn the milk of life sour
By the big chief I’m appointed
With a title anointed
To make our land disjointed
Sack many a webmaster
To ruin lives faster
And change their success to disaster
Yes I’ve made every person compliant
Will persecute the defiant
And promote only the pliant
Thus will begin a new age
Derived from the hate and rage
Dispensed from my doctrinaire stage
All aboard then! All aboard
Bow your heads as autocrats applaud
Then let fly with a, “Praise the Lord!”

**Croesus was the very rich king of Lydia ruling from 585 to 546 BCE. He is said to be the first to mint gold and silver.

The Deputy Goon

I’m the deputy goon
Some say I’m a loon
As I sing a discordant tune
I convinced the boss
I would be no loss
And I’d never do a double cross
So we rule the world together
I’ll be loyal to him forever
Though his brain is as light as a feather
On the matter of lies
I must advise
It’s no surprise
That they need a mention
As my cool invention
To help me get attention
So I tell them non-stop
To remain at the top
And give all my rivals the chop
Now what about my orations?
Well, I insult other nations
And damage our foreign relations
But this doesn’t matter
As my idle chatter
Befogs them with the skill of a hatter
Yes, we’re a very good team
With many a hair-brained scheme
That fulfils each psychotic dream
Now we control the multitude
And mend what’s misconstrued
With astonishing promptitude
So it’s all hail to the king
From his deputy underling

Media Secretary

Hello
I am not seedier
I am not greedier
I’m the boss’s voice to the media
Now he lies a lot
Speaks so much rot
That makes it a difficult job I’ve got
So I often have to lie
That I cannot deny
So now I’ll tell you why
The problem when he airs a delusion
It necessitates the sharp inclusion
Of from me a deceptive allusion
So my lies must fly thick and fast
As I’m chained to a dangerous mast
And a true word could be my last
There we are then
I’ll say it again, again and again
I am in a lion’s den
Where my only salvation
Is my imagination
That so far has evaded elimination
I am a spreader of fiction
Portrayed with elegant diction
To avoid undesirable friction
And so the illusion thrives
As a government survives
Cutting truth up with sharp knives
So all praise to my nation’s capacity
To prosper from its mendacity
As I strive on and on with tenacity

Guilty Representative

Now my leader’s a base criminal
But his crime to me is minimal
As his power is so subliminal
He’s a master at persuasion
Skilful with evasion
And plans to abet invasion
The masses all adore him
Investors all restore him
While his enemies deplore him
So I give him my devotion
With intense high emotion
To make certain my promotion
He has such potential
Is so influential
That to me he’s just essential
So I make him my star
Though he may go too far
With behaviour well below par
But why choose morality
When there’s overt neutrality
In political duality?
So I stick with the outlaw
Who knows nothing of law
And it’s he that they all vote for
So I reap success
Despite his excess
Without redress
You may think that I am guilt ridden
Doing things that are forbidden
But my sins are safely hidden
So drain the moat for me
And cast your vote for me, now

royciebaby

A Smile Or Two

Poor Brigit

Bright means “exalted one”
So no wonder she sought fun
She solicited status from the highest master
But the consequence was a disaster

The job she acquired was aide to the president
She in no time at all was a White House resident
Troubles ensued with alarming rapidity
As she struggled to deal with her boss’s stupidity

The trouble from the first was that master’s behaviour
So she tried with compassion to act as his saviour
At every press conference when he told blatant lies
She said in her commentary ’twas code in disguise

In a pivotal speech he foretold a take-over
Poor Brigit endeavoured to create a makeover
He said he’d buy land and Green would be grand
She said we would name it Red White and Blue Land

That boss he was mean and blew his own trumpet
When she tried to advise him he called her a strumpet
She smiled in return with courageous zeal
He said, “That’s OK darling let’s do a deal”

But alas he continued with his foolish ways
Said, “I’ll help any country as long as it pays”
Many nations grew hostile and trouble was brewing
So poor Brigit resigned with disaster ensuing

Fools Rush In

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Alexander Pope

Hey there business man
How come you’re so wealthy
Mind your own dumb business
My methods are quite stealthy

My ways are my secret
I keep ‘em under cover
I don’t tell the taxman
Or even my lover

But I’ll tell you what I’ll do
Because I am quite fair
I’ll voice my coming venture
If you’ll buy a share

So come along my friend
Here is the prospectus
But it must stay our secret
So no rivals can bisect us

Now here is the plan
That we’ll carry out soon
We’ve organised construction
Of a garage on the moon

I know that this may seem
A deed of sheer depravity
But the source of all our wisdom
Is that orb’s lack of gravity


Everything will be so light
This sharply reduces the cost
And there are no dangerous roads
That perilously have to be crossed

And there’ll be no troublesome cars
At this early juncture
So you’ll even miss the boredom
Of having to mend a puncture

No roads, no cars so you may be puzzled
By our preterm energy burst
But cars and roads will be there one day
And our station will be the first

What’s more that venue is ideal
For atomic power to be placed
As no better site than the moon could be found
To dispose of nuclear waste

There is a move in the market
With preference shares all rising
So be quick and buy some
I am not eulogising

Come along Charlie in now for the kill
Or you’ll miss our lunar trick
And be regarded by the common herd
As a dawdling lunatic

Complex Simon

Complex Simon met a rich man
Going to a fair
Said Complex Simon to the rich man
What have you got there?
Said the rich man to Complex Simon
Show me first your money
Said Complex Simon to the rich man
My poverty isn’t funny
Complex Simon was a-wishing
He could be a winner
But the only hero he could find
Was that rowdy right-wing sinner
Complex Simon went to look
At his glamorous political party
They promised to improve his life
And make him hale and hearty
They told him lies that hypnotise
Not one of them came true
So now poor Complex Simon
Knows where the cuckoos flew

Five Limericks

I
That man had lived for many years
Troubled by countless fears
He voted right wing
Gave the neocons a fling
And now he can’t pay for his beers

II
There once was a famous believer
Who was a successful deceiver
He just couldn’t stop
Telling lies at the top
So he’s now our envoy in Geneva

III
Loud-mouthed Peter
Was a cheater
Who told the story
Of his counterfeit glory
So now he’s an ill-famed word-eater

IV
Once upon a time
A big wig did a crime
It brought him shame
Notorious fame
But the last true words here don’t rhyme

V
There once was a man named Perce
Who tried to write a verse
He failed to rhyme
Time after time
So he buried his verse in a hearse

It’s A Funny Thing That

That head of state was a fool
Who broke nearly every rule
He sought the votes of the farmers
Dressed in silk pyjamas
It’s a funny thing that
He told more lies
Than stars in the skies
So when truth pleased him
No one believed him
It’s a funny thing that
He had passion strong
For ideas that were wrong
If a bucket had s- -t in it
He’d be sure to put his foot in it
It’s a funny thing that
He dealt with Mexicans badly
And their leader begged him sadly
Her plea, “We pay mañana”*
Brought a tariff on every banana
It’s a funny thing that
His mistress and he had a fight
That lasted half the night
Until he did something shocking
Put a spider in her stocking
It’s a funny thing that
And so the years rolled by
As he gave forth many a sigh
Until he found his last job
Making lucre with a lawbreaking mob
It’s not a funny thing that

*Tomorrow

royciebaby

Now! Now! To The Streets Lawfully

It’s Time To Fight

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

Just look at what those charlatans are doing
Their sinister schemes are trouble brewing
To increase their power is their notorious plan
Ignoring ways sacred since time began

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

They pardon vile misfits who commit crimes
And treat them as allies at convenient times
Justice to them has become a sick joke
And courtroom misconduct is their master stroke

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

They ruthlessly harm the helpless poor
By cutting off funding in ways to deplore
They commit war crimes as though they were licit
But in these misdeeds they are clearly complicit

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

They show stark allegiance to foreign dictators
And by their dark deeds they are their imitators
They persecute officers who carry out the law
Turning justice into a toxic see-saw

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

Though we suffer anguish from flood and from fire
Global warming to them is something to hire
And personal Identifying Information
Is exposed for a mountebank’s aberration

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

All men are brothers
But they torment foreign others
Condemning them to prison
With satanic derision

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

Techno-fascism is their ominous game
Deceiving the innocent is their shame
Change in their world is at fever pitch
For the passionate purpose of making them rich

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

Yes now is the time for all victims to fight
Inspired by the knowledge that they are right
We may seem defeated in what life encumbers
But there’s power and glory in our numbers

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

Fight! Fight! The time is right
For non-violent barricades to show your might

The Adventures Of Tinkerbell

Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell was a fighter
She met a neocon who sought to delight her
He said,”Let’s seize Greenland with strong intervention”
So she hurled at him swear words too rude to mention

Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell met a self-lover
Who governed the land from a place far above her
He said, “I’m your guardian, your angel, your saviour”
She shouted, “What rubbish, it’s nonsense behaviour!”

Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell met a billionaire
With power unearned by methods unfair
He said, “I know secrets from your private life”
She answered with a tongue far sharper than a knife

Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell met a lawyer
Who cut up the truth with more skill than a sawyer
He said he’d unman the FBI
But she answered this angrily: “Fie if you try”

Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell met a senator
Who rudely and crudely hurled a pen at her
He wrote ugly lies re a fraudulent vote
So she sent him an explosive, enlightening note

Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell lived to be old
Throughout all her years she’d stayed brave and bold
Her rivals’ survivals were not nearly as long
But she’d showed them the peril of being so wrong

Crazy Norm

Crazy Norm has despicable form
And denies that the world is becoming warm
He invited his cronies to come in for the kill
And gave them his catch-cry, ”Perforate as you will”

His friends with deep pockets built many rockets
That made idea light bulbs glow in their sockets
Norm said it was time for conquests sublime
But he showed crazy judgement time after time

Every day he did much to deplore
His favourite deed was to flout the law
Biased news media aired his grudges
And his chosen deed was to denigrate judges

On the ladder of fame Norm had the high rung
But his one great problem was his lying tongue
In the province of falsehood he was clearly a boffin
And just like mad Hitler he told his lies often

His cunning schemes gave him domination
Made his lack of compassion an abomination
His deeds never did give support to the needy
And all that he did could be labelled greedy

But time is a foe that philosophers know
All brutality in the end just has to go
So as time went by Norm met his just match
That left him like a snail in a vegetable patch

Written In The Sky

How many times will fires destroy lives
Before the leaders ask why?
How many times will floods wash homes away
Before leaders hear mankind’s cry?
The answers dear friends are written in the sky
Wisdom and truth must not die

How many times will bombs murder kids
Before officials ask why?
How many times will plain folks die
Even though perpetrators deny?
The answers dear friends are written in the sky
Wisdom and truth must not die

How many times are refugees racked with pain
Before justice is applied?
How many times will the law be obeyed
And no longer cruelly denied?
The answers dear friends are written in the sky
Wisdom and truth must not die

How many times can a big boss lie
Before the truth is uncovered?
How many lives will he tear apart more
Until reality is discovered?
The answers dear friends are written in the sky
Wisdom and truth must not die

The answers dear friends are written in the sky
Wisdom and truth must not die


Coup d’état

Who controls the past controls the future.
Who controls the present controls the past. George Orwell

It’s on
It’s here
Look at what they’re doing
These intruders are damaging our lives
Making our mores obey their commands
Controlling what we think
Deciding what we are allowed to do
Determining our future according to their needs
It’s been done before my friends
This coup d’état
History’s pages portray other tales
Of sordid past ages when justice fails
A new name: Bureau Of Well-planned Organisation
Welcome back to 1984
International aid to the desperate?
You can’t do that. The money’s needed by the rich
Free medicine for all?
You can’t do that. The money’s needed by the rich Scientific medical research?
You can’t do that. The money’s needed by the rich
Educational research?
You can’t do that. The money’s needed by the rich
Action against global warming?
You can’t do that. The money’s needed by the rich
Are they winning?
Not a bit of it
For we will fight back beyond the pit of it
With crystal clear views
Together we win, divided we lose

royciebaby

Dystopia

Quadrilateral Dance

All join hands and circle the land
Stay where you are and give that villain your hand
Then circle back to where you were
And bow to show that you concur

So it’s Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hey!
We live to cheat another day

All join hands and circle that field
Stay where you are and to that scoundrel yield
Then circle back to where you’ll defraud
And to cover your tracks just praise the Lord

So it’s Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hey!
We live to profit another day

All join hands and circle the domain
Stay where you are; make your loyalty plain
Then circle back to where you can diddle
And agree with the felon who loves to fiddle

So it’s Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hey!
We live to hoodwink another day

All join hands and circle the realm
Stay where you are to overwhelm
Then circle back to where you can cheat
It may even be a head of state you’ll meet

So it’s Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hey!
We will live to make a killing another day

One Enchanted Evening

One enchanted evening
You may see a fraudster across a gloomy room
And somehow you know
You know even then
That somewhere you will see him
Again and again
So run to his side
And his villainy condone
Or all through your life
You’ll deceive on your own

One enchanted evening
A pretender may be laughing across a smoky room
And strangely you will see
The truth even then
That you’ll hear his laughter
Again and again
So stand by him tall
And learn from his ways
Or the hoi polloi will think
That democracy pays

Once you have found him
Never let him go
Once you have found him
Never let him go
Learn from his ways how a leader betrays
Feel the power when a stray dog strays
He will lead you away from ignominy
Into the victory of a fabulous infamy
So raise your voice and show your rage
And taste the glory of a wondrous new age

Ripe For The Picking

Gullible voter will you please choose me
Though I lie to you with élan
I will paint a picture to fulfil your dreams
With suspect research for my plan

I know life is hard and prices are high
And the cost of living is huge
That’s why I propose to cut back costs
With a cunning subterfuge

I’ll promise you the world by shrinking spending
And bring expenditure relief
Even though the needy might suffer great pain
It will achieve my neocon belief

Regarding climate, don’t touch on it now
I’ve a plan for atomic waste
It will keep oil and coal with us longer
As only dummies make haste

And what of foreign affairs?
What allies will I befriend?
Why a leader who gets things done
Even though he may be round the bend

Small government is a lofty ambition
Taking ownership away from the community
Thus giving money to the big end of town
To the lobbyists who fund with impunity

So there dear citizen now is your chance
To change your life for the better
And what I will do if you vote me in
Is write you a thank-you letter

The Dangerous Halfwit

Every so often in one generation
An arrant fool is chosen
By the flock to lead a nation

There’s one in control now
Astride the steed of authority
Behaving like a vacuous cow

Declaring him a fool to me is not fit
To convey a clear view of the beast
So I change it here to halfwit

Blockhead, buffoon, moron or clod
Would describe the dullard as well
To make matters worse he hails God

Just look at his deeds in his witching hour
Threatening friends with fake guilt
To demonstrate his power

Tell a lie often and it will seem true
Is one of his devious plans
With support from an underhand crew

Genocide brings from him no angry word
Crime is his business and he’s guilty
Which makes his high status absurd

Now my tale may be but a shadow in a mist
Could this portrait really be true?
Alas I must say there is evidence no soul can resist!

The Doings Of A Mad King

Mad King Ludwik was the boss
All that he feared was financial loss
So he gathered around him many forces
In a struggle to protect his resources

Whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
I am the king so be loyal to me

He quickly gave status to powerful advisers
Because they were rich, that he eulogises
They with authority were by him selected
And he had control as they weren’t elected

Whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
I am the king so be loyal to me

Ludwik sought change to meet his beliefs
So he sacked all the faithful and created new chiefs
Then the land faltered in disarray
And many loyal subjects felt dismal dismay

Whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
I am the king so be loyal to me

Undaunted, this monarch looked further afield
And sought a new empire so his strength was revealed
The trouble with this was international law
But this liege said no worries that’s what I deplore

Whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
I am the king so be loyal to me

Loyalty, loyalty’s what Ludwik demanded
So he pardoned any followers if they were remanded
Thus judicial proceedings were torn into tatters
And no one believed then that justice matters

Whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
I am the king so be loyal to me

Now Ludwik still reigns and his power is endless
But as a man he is virtually friendless
The realm that he rules has millions of poor
And the regime of Ludwik is what they deplore

Whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
I am the king so be loyal to me

So it’s whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
Fools are deceived by the thimble and pea
Yes it’s whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
Beware of your leader’s philosophy
O it’s whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee
Make the right choice; set your conscience free
Whoops-de-diddle-alarums-de-dee

royciebaby

Rogues Gallery

Fake Me To Your Leader

Oswald Brown was a clown
Who got to rule the land
His principal reason for his renown
Was to have us obey each command

The changes he wrought as the master
Had never been seen before
They brought to the land sheer disaster
As he diligently bent the law

His constant need was to break tradition
And tell lies about his opponents
His only guide was ambition
Giving power to his chosen proponents

O.B. we could see was in love with himself
As he strove to increase his power
And his main aim was to add to his pelf
So he built his ivory tower

His modus operandi we can say
Was to make enmity our delusion
So he brought xenophobia into play
Making immigrant crime an illusion

He had a thirst for henchmen
So he made the law an ass
With criminals his yes men
And justice a morass

Now time went on as it always will
With Oswald lying on Fox News
But the people awoke; they had had their fill
Heard their stories sung in the blues

It was time for change, to rearrange
So they rebelled with tempers blazing
Sent the villain unwilli’n to a venue strange
Where asses or donkeys were grazing

Now years have passed though memories last
But his era is a sordid blank
Our only thought now his time has passed
Is which of our heavens to thank

O hypocrites who dwelt on his game
And sold your soul to the rogue
Your names will be in the Hall of Shame
Where ugly tyranny’s in vogue

Obedience

Soldier, soldier will you kill for me
With your rocket, drone and gun?
O yes yes yes though no citizens can flee
I’ll be the dutiful one

Criminal, criminal will you mug for me
Now I have set you free?
O yes yes yes I will your minder be
For all the world to see

Lawyer, lawyer will you lie for me
If I give you heaps of gold?
O yes yes yes I’ll your mouthpiece be
To confirm all the lies you’ve told

Senator, senator will you be loyal to me
Now I have given you power?
O yes yes yes I’ll be happy to see
Your iniquitous garden flower

Newsman, newsman will you argue for me
If I please your boss?
O yes yes yes I will abide with thee
Though your words are fairy floss

Scholar, scholar will you tell the truth
When this dark age is done?
O yes yes yes we have done that forsooth
Since human life has begun

Power

Have you seen the nincompoop
Abusing all his power?
Sacking a highly lawful group
In his witching hour?

Have you seen the blockhead
Voting him in as boss?
Not a word can now be said
About this tragic loss?

Have you seen the dolt
In the court supreme?
Who brought justice to a halt
And fulfilled a liar’s dream?

Have you seen the dunce
Awarded a high position?
Who passed exams not once
But obeys without contrition?

Have you seen the halfwit
Now head of the armed forces?
Who is clearly branded unfit
And wants to bring back horses

Have you seen the loon
Who seeks to go to Mars?
According to the phase of the moon
He gives forth loud hurrahs

Have you seen the wise man
Who has one ambition
To have these fools with much élan
Make justice and truth a tradition

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time in New York town
An old man went to a place of renown
He sought to come in with a voice quite forlorn
But the guard at the door asked him where he was born

“Far away,” said the man in a friendly voice,
“In the land of the sun where the people rejoice.”
“Then you cannot come in,” replied the sentry,
“Immigrants are forbidden entry.”

Once upon a time in bountiful Dallas
A woman was treated with considerable malice
She sought a loan one troubled morn
But the banker asked her where she was born

“Far away,” said the woman, “In Mexico city,”
“Where as a child I had love and pity.”
Then you’ll get no loan,” replied the big wheel,
“Immigrants are forbidden to do a deal.”

Once upon a time in San Jose
A migrant tried to enter at the break of day
He sought a visa at the crack of dawn
But the officer asked him where he was born

“Far away,” said the man in troubled Haiti,
“A very dangerous place to be
“Then you’ll get no visa,” replied the man,
“Immigrants are criminals with an evil plan.”

Once upon a time in the land of the free
Foreigners were treated with dignity
If you sought compassion, were tired and worn
It really didn’t matter where you were born

If far away you needed to flee
You’d be welcomed as a kind of victory
Then with open arms you would be supported
And your wonders imported would be duly reported

Politician

An Angry Monologue

You pernicious chattering puppet
Get thee to a correction facility out of my sight
I’ve heard enough of your catch phrases
Your half truths that sound so nice
Your optimism without cause
Your orchestrated fear of borders
That buys toys for military boys
While the aged are persecuted
By entrepreneurial vultures
Who deal out sedatives
As punishment for growing old
You scheming petard
That blows up our social infrastructure
By privatising everything
As a gift to the big end of town
You and your culpable felonious banks
That turn their proceeds into devilish sullied lucre
To make existence a function of profit and loss
You loquacious lump of protoplasm
Wilfully biting universities
That become unfunded businesses
And pass the buck to the students who suffer
Penury as a punishment for learning
You effusive garbage bin
Your balanced budget mythology
Sickens my soul
Why don’t you resign now
As so many of your cohorts do
And join corporations with inside information
For their shady deals
You talkative lump of atomic waste
Elected by halfwits to rule our world

I despise your education misdemeanours
Where the rich have all the resources
While the poor just have children
You weed in a garden of pomposity
Who poisons then murders the welfare state
Hatred of enemies
Is your big business
You squeeze an excuse for it out of somewhere
“For the good of the nation”
That’s it; bravo!
“To preserve our way of life”
O yes, it all sounds so very good
I’m just sick of the constant stream of nonsense
I long for your silence
And preferably you out of my mind

So
Begone
And just en passant
I guess you know who won’t get my vote

royciebaby

Protest

Victory

To arms citizens!
Not with guns but with your minds
Be the voice that justice finds
To crush repression at its core
Endure the iniquity no more
Launch your fervour to foster legality
Make true justice a reality
Believe in truth as a deadly tool
Whenever Fascism seeks to rule

To arms citizens!
Not with guns but with your minds
Be the hand to remove the blinds
Never yield to tyranny’s insanity
Expose the truth of each tyrant’s inanity
Stay together as a team
Share a common devoted dream
Replace all hate with love and pity
March in the streets of every city

To arms citizens!
Not with guns but with your minds
Shout with joy as the madness declines
Show the world how you unite
Have the fools endure your might
Cast aside the ragged men of straw
Assume that’s what you were created for
Work together to build a new world
Share as one a licit flag unfurled

Strike

With Respect To Student Activism

Were you there when the pupils left the classrooms?
Were you there when frustration reached its peak?
Did you hear the voices cry in anguish?
Have you learned to listen when angels speak?
Yes I was the observer in old age
Who understood the truth of climate rage
Saw the anger of their faces
Felt the tension when they revealed the monetarists’ cases
I understood the movement of their feet
And knew the reason for their presence in the street
Now I too have rebelled despite my senility
Stood tall though my limbs struggle for ability
Walked out again into the world’s duplicity
To shake my fragile fist against stupidity
I notice still the wilful greed and madness
That conjures forth my deadly pain and sadness
And bounces off the tumult of the sky
So heed my words you villains passing by
Who think that you can rule us with deceit
Truth and science lie shattered at your feet
So beware you fools of the reality you don’t trust
Whose power will turn your petty plans to dust
Yes it is there as the sorry world rejoices
Awakened by the sound of children’s voices
That ring around the vault of heaven
And operate as a spiritual leaven
To all who suffer from fire and deluge
In agony because of your flimsy subterfuge

From The Big End Of Town

You are from the big end of town
And you cunningly spread renown
For the sun’s magnetic field*
You twist the truth while Nero fiddles
To confuse the mob you speak in riddles
As you hope that your words will allay
The fear of climate that exists today

You are from the big end of town
And you cunningly spread renown
For the value of CO2
The cost of change is too great you say
And all business gain will fritter away
Not so, for the benefits of a carbon price
Will outweigh the loss not once but twice

You are from the big end of town
And you cunningly spread renown
For a warning on loss of jobs
But renewables are do-ables and here’s the pitch
They can make the economy rich
So curb the lies for the good of humanity
Of your confidence tricksters with suspect sanity

*Changes in the sun’s magnetic field have had very little effect on the climate changes observed in recent decades.

Once Upon A Thought

Once upon a thought I decided to write a poem
Not a long one
And probably not an acclaimed one
Just a gentle journey into my memories
So I started writing
Dabbling away at my keyboard
Hoping something interesting would finally emerge
Somewhere on a future part of the page
As you can see that has not happened yet
Which brings me to a clear dilemma:
Shall I continue with hope springing eternal
Or shall I give up and go and watch television?
As you can see I have not given up
And am writing on regardless
With hope heading towards eternity
As I write on I have suddenly had a thought
Supposing I could decide
Who from my life would read my humble words
My grandfather Sidney Isaac would be one
For he was my storyteller of tales
Of the Burma Railway he built for the Japanese
Then there is Lucy, my blind sister
Who would read my thoughts in Braille
And then tell her own tale
Next Aunt Thelma, who lived to be a hundred and eight
And lies buried now beside her husband, a soldier
Who died in war fifty years before her
Another thought is Simon
That indigenous pupil
With the lovely white teeth
And the all encompassing smile
Who left school aged fifteen
Because of his family’s poverty
And there is Ubaid, the child I taught English to
So long ago
That gentle angel who longed to be free like me
But was imprisoned in Nauru without a trial
As a victim of political agendas
How strange it is, this working of my mind,
That tells me what I must do
Without my conscious constraint
Funny, bizarre, weird, uncanny is the destiny
Of my thoughts
And now there is one important final reader
My whimsical ancient brain has at last chosen for me
The train of my thoughts has arrived at a funny station…
The closing choice of a reader I would make
Is the Minister For Immigration

I Wandered Lonely As a Crowd

I wandered lonely as a crowd
Down the streets of infamy
Listening to the voices
Condemning the vociferous Thunberg** child
Mental illness was their way to defame
Vile connotations sullied her name
As criminals wove their malice
Somehow in that field of sin
The wondrous ingenue was set to win
Her solitary voice had garnished the air
Closing the portals of despair
With the powerful thrust of truth
Within the throng that went along with her
The pathways of an open mind
Were visions of hope alight
With wonder that split the venom asunder

As wisdom took to the air
To circle the troubled globe
Still more followers seized her cause
It is the threatened lion that roars
And so it came to pass
Climate sceptics slowly and silently hobbled away
Into a morass of forgotten schemes

**Greta Thunberg is a young Swedish environmental activist.

royciebaby

Perturbed Voices

At The Top Of The Tree

A Chieftain Observed

Ronald Crumpkin was a bumpkin
And got to the top of the tree
He had a head like the top of a pumpkin
And a brain the size of a pea

He spoke every word in a manner absurd
And his deeds were an absolute farce
He promised the world and the people stirred
But none of it came to pass

Every day in his usual way
He would make a weird proclamation
But the only excuse he could think of to say
Was it’s all for the good of the nation

His lies flowed fast an expensive repast
For all of the innocent flock
The trouble was the truth came last
And the country went into shock

Riots broke out and shattered the peace
As victims started to cry
Yet all he could do was praise the police
And watch the mob pass by

Now anger rose as the saying goes
And discord stirred the masses
RC said we could cure all woes
If we started to eat molasses

That was the level of thought he wrought
Irrelevance was his stance
The land was doomed as a last resort
To be led on his merry dance

But time is the cure all fools must endure
In the end the electors were grim
They chose a new leader of great allure
So wise nothing did surprise him

So the bumpkin faded away that day
To a fate his kind espouses
A career befitting his life you might say
As all he does now is sell houses

Shock Jock

What you are stands over you the while and thunders.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hail to thee spiteful Spirit
No need to be defensive
I understand the reasons you’re offensive
There’s money in it
Your wherewithal is solid as a rock
It is the sordid benefit of shock
So rock on shock jock
Take us down the pathways of disdain
Lead us into conflict for your gain
Let fly with sayings to remember
Carefully choose the virtue to dismember
Bottle up your future in preservative
Proclaim extremes and dreams that are conservative
Find a backer who will pay you well
Let bad intentions line your road to hell
This above all
Befriend the tall with gall as ethics fall
Make enemies crash
With your language rash
Go to extremes when all else seems to have failed
Make sure the Freedom Train’s by you derailed
Cultivate a manner that’s aloof
Abuse all victims who may seek the truth
Shout loudly when your argument is weak
Praise with ardour your sympathetic clique
Always remember what your work is for
You are there to wage a moneyed war
So wound on, disgust, annoy, repel
As you open the door to where your demons dwell

The Brainless Rabbit

There once was a rabbit developed the habit
Of telling the fox what to do
Self-regard was his curse and money was his verse
And pride was his hullabaloo

Now there came a day we are glad to say
When death found some resistance
There was a virus that did require us
To keep a social distance

But the garrulous buck tested his luck
In a manner highly trying
He invited the fox to attend a soirée
And not be afraid of dying

The fox was no fool and these words made him drool
As he sought to endorse a union
While the rabbit’s throng had numbers strong
And engaged with the fox in communion

Now to end this tale you will not fail
If you study the truth for a while
You will note his mirth as the fox roams the earth
Wearing a contented smile

Please Let Me Stay

I now a wanderer who does not wish to roam
I now forced to run away because I’ve lost my home
House is blown apart for us just like my broken heart
Loved ones vanish all at once, in the choke of war
Even my dog is dead
I been seen in many places in the time I fled
So may it please you Sir, as I kneel upon your shore,
Please let me stay

I now a wanderer who does not wish to roam
I now forced to run away because I’ve lost my home
Windows smashed by strangers with rat-tat-tatting guns
Triggers pulled by soldiers, with different coloured skin
Even my dog is dead
I not find a friendly face no matter where I tread
So may it please you Sir, can’t you say “Come in?”
Please let me stay

I now a wanderer who does not wish to roam
I now forced to run away because I’ve lost my home
My school and town no longer there, danger everywhere
Lives destroyed; the old world is no more
Even my dog is dead
I try to be brave so many times, but I only cry instead
So may it please you Sir, as I kneel upon your shore,
Please let me stay

Racism Undermined

Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come.
’ Twas grace that brought us safe thus far
And grace will lead us home. From Amazing Grace

Breathes there a man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said
“This is my own, my suffering world,
That cries out for help with each flag unfurled”
To every racist I say in fright
My soul is neither black or white
Yet I am afraid ere the next night comes
Someone for me will beat hostile drums
And complain to the gods above
As enmity turns into hate my love
The cause may be skin or the shape of my eyes
The place of my birth would be no surprise
Or the clothes that I wear, the jobs that I went to
The church where I worship, the school I was sent to
Something will make the rancour burst
As I shrink at first, fearing the worst
My heart will beat faster and I may run away
Malice will be in the very air of the day
Words of hate will make life worse
Gestures of ire will be an overt curse
And I may want to flee the human race
What else can one do to end such disgrace?
How can you ease the pain
To compensate for the disdain?
Then like a star in a troubled sky
The xenophobe will pass by and I won’t question why
As I turn away with a smile on my face
And rejoice in the words of Amazing Grace.

Vulcan

To The Forest-fire Dead

Hail to thee O god of Fire
Marshall of greed and human desire
Sacred the name of your burning soul
Our homage to you is paid with coal

All praise to your image flaming bright
Fountain of profit and earthly delight
Stately the prayers we say unto you
As we give benediction with our CO2

Hear now our vows of fealty told
O great god of flames aglow with gold
Supreme our tribute as we stand by your side
We declare you divine with nitrous oxide*

Hark to our words O supreme being
Symbol of triumph we are now seeing
Hallowed your mission on this earthly terrain
Our devotion will reign with a gift of methane**

Godly fire that lights our way
Fountain of profit, industrial display
Dance in the wind your heavenly caper
Our chimera is a quantum of water vapour

Behold dear godhead let our homage unfold
As your fire signifies vast wealth untold
So pure our love universally seen
For you, graven image of the Anthropocene***

*Nitrous oxide is laughing gas, a sedative

**Methane is a hydrocarbon affecting climate

***The time when human activity has been the main or significant reason for change in the environment.

royciebaby

Rogues Of Our Time

The Fascist

There he is
A perfect example from the political lexicon
A fascist
Just look at him
Meets the specified standards beautifully
A racist
Says immigrants will poison our blood
Despises democracy
Falsifies bona fide election results
A rabble-rouser
Appeals to the desires and prejudices of the mob
And, above all, adores a strong leader
Himself
Yes
That’s it
The evidence is so strong
Storms into your awareness
Like inoperable cancer of the brain
What’s next?
Well,
As so often has happened in history
The mobster has gained temporary power
Protected by a supportive judiciary
With power hungry political disciples
Exploiting his ill-gotten success
In their own sordid, degenerate interest
What then can we simple souls do?
Ah, just be patient my friends
Let time be your soul mate
Have faith in the ultimate dominance of morality
For that is why as humans we still exist

The Warmonger

Look at that ruthless man
He’s an agent of murder
A supplier of weapons
In an unfair war
To a grateful madly hawkish ally
Breathes there a man with soul so dead
Who never to himself has said
These are humans I am killing?
What a death toll it is as a consequence!
Children
The aged
Whole families
Thousands
And thousands
Still more thousands
Civilian deaths make it a war crime
Yet the deliberate infernal sacrilege rages on
Hey there
It’s you I mean
You sign the papers
Give your permission to kill
Your military industrial complex
Donates the ghastly tools of death
Soon you will leave your position of power
In a twinkling be a mere memory
But your deeds will never be forgotten
In the mornings
And at the going down of countless suns
Your infamy will be recalled
And the laments of so many
Will be sung to the music you have composed

The Robber Baron

So
You are rich beyond compare
Colluding with a leader
Because your ambitions currently coincide
Overtly powerful therefore
With a voice demanding attention
For the present
But do you think you can rule over me for ever?
No way
For you are the stuff that intrigue is made of
Your ways of doing things
Plot
Collusion
Conspiracy
Have no place in my life
You are now an in-person
Tainted, befouled by power
Dominant for a time while convenience lasts
But you will fade away eventually
Like a bad aroma when the wind blows
So speak on if you must
Talk away
As a garrulous parrot
Spruiking judgements made of fairy floss
That I have no need for
I am not listening
For I have more important things to do
Than heed your gabble
Get thee hence soon
Go back to your subservient social medium
Where you are king
And O joy thankfully, I am not your subject

The Crafty Beguiler

Listen to him
Oozing out guarantees like Dolos*
Using people’s misery
To build his own castle of deceit
Promising to end suffering
With dreams he cannot consummate
It all sounds so good
Utopia is just a vote away
A new day is dawning
Paradise in a new morning
If you believe and elect him
But you must analyse the artfulness
The subterfuge
The slyness
The guile
Cost of living
Is a consequence of many years of rule
Not a single regime
So blame the system not your political foe
But beware
Promissory notes are dangerous
Maybe life can be made cheaper for a time
But what of the unmentioned consequences?
Will the poor lose support?
Will the sick agonise?
Will the schools suffer?
Will we be prone to unending waste?
Yes
Peruse the dream but check the evidence

*Dolos was the Greek god of trickery, cunning deception, craftiness, guile, and treachery.

The Yes-man

Look at you
Kowtowing to that successful figurehead
In your own quest for power
That leader in name only
Is intense
Violent
Ardent
Fierce
And for the present, successful
To follow him is to have strength
Temporary potency
Contemporary political success
But tomorrow your success
Will hang like chains around your neck
So begone fool
Get thee to an institute of learning
Discover virtue
Honour
Integrity
Fair play
Uprightness
And make your world a proper place
Go soon
Before your infamy turns into chaos
Before your collusion
Has you branded an accomplice
In the relentless, unflinching pages of history
Turn now
Away from your misdeeds
Dare to be linked to truth and integrity
Or else be but a sycophant in sheep’s clothing

royciebaby

On A Parliament Of Fools

Septic Sceptic

Lord what fools these politicians be
Just look at him
Ignoring the devastation
The debacle
The catastrophe
Of climate change
Listen to him
Arguing about cost of electricity
What is the cost of fire?
Of flood?
Of famine?
Of unleashed tempests?
What a fool he is!
Notice his mindless deeds
Repealing wise laws about climate
Tax concession for oil
Permission
Indeed encouragement
To mine coal
So that’s it then
The industrial complex rules
Tells us what’s right and wrong
Decides the fate of species
Determines our destiny
Links our lives to the financial statements
Of the rich
So
Here I stand*
I am poor and weak but my vote will be wise

* A statement by Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms (1521) defying his opponents. Also the title of a book by Paul Robeson the famous singer and activist.

On The Mythology Of Tax

That’s right
No taxes is the political cry
Small government
Sell off the family jewels
To your lobbyists
So they alone can get rich
Privatise everything
So the minority can rule
What fools believe this!
Government owned enterprises
Belong to you and me
To us all
If they break the laws of decency
We can change them
Vote against them powerfully
Depending on the crime
It is not so now
We have fostered the creation of elite moguls
Monsters in minority who decide the price of things
According to their wishes
It is very few ruling over many
This must not be!
Fair taxation shared by everyone is a good thing
Then the deeds of the nation
Will be in the hands of all at the ballot box
Not of the malingering few
As we have it today
Therefore
Cast aside the mythology of tax
Big, strong government is controlled by the people
And doable fair taxes create necessary power
This is a need right now
So end the fable
Get thee hence you greedy few who now rule
A new era of democracy awaits us

Money Matters

What a fool he is
That political leader
Look what he has done
Funded rich private schools with my money
While state public schools crumble
And wither in poverty
Ah yes
Money matters
Children’s lives depend on a just apportionment
So much pivots on this
And a government’s prime responsibility
With finance
Is fairness
So how dare he accede to interest groups
In such a slanted way
Education is so important
So linked to a desirable future
Too momentous to be controlled by lobbyists
So what is the lesson here?
Public classrooms are our future
If you decide to leave them
Then you should meet the cost
State teachers hold our destiny in their hands
They need support
Good learning environments
Not hotchpotch rivalry from elite institutions
Dedicated to moneyed minorities
So let it be
Bring on monetary justness for the majority
And note the changes in the statesmen elected

Consort Of Illusion

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority.” Lord Acton

Just look at that triumphant political figure
Elected
Thrust into power
By babbling non sequiturs
Posing as a friend of the needy
When he is just an ally of the greedy
See how he twists reality
Lies and fake superlatives
Are his modus operandi
To promote his status
And bring his aims to fruition
What are these objectives?
Why money
More money
And still more money
For his own disgraceful self
So it’s absolute power now
And will it be corrupt absolutely?
No
Nay
Never
Be of good cheer little people
From this man trouble will ensue
Yes, days may be wrought by pain for the many
When this ogre has his way
Good institutions may crumble
The indigent may suffer
But as always, time will provide the cure
Because justice, a mighty force, eventually wins

Forgiveness And Rage

Listen to him
That local card-carrying member is so angry
Rage is his motif
Anger is his way of winning support
It is straight out of the fascist handbook
Hitler was so irate
So furious
Arraigning Jews and others with spite
Mussolini too
Stalin
And others in the modern world
I need not name
So
How sad it is
Politicians know they can win support
By harnessing people’s anger
Exploiting divisive trends in society
Posing as a friend against useful foes
Asylum seekers alas
Tend to be convenient victims
Of clandestine animosity
They are easy targets
For gurus of hate
There is such a need today for compassion
For understanding of the suffering of these others
For gentleness
For attachment
Towards those who need it so much
Rise up then citizens
Turn this politician into a statesman
Who will flood our land with humane kindness

royciebaby

Some Condemnations

On An Evil War

Is there a man with spirit so dead
Who never to himself has said
Mass killing is a crime?
When innocents die
Many victims cry
Is it not punishment time?
Look around you at the proof
As the villains stay aloof
Calmly condoning the killing
Notice the destruction
Caused by guilty instruction
That brands the slayers as willing
When innocents die
With a death toll so high
A race is almost exterminated
No one can deny
With the carnage so high
In that land rectitude is terminated
So come on down to the court
Where global justice is wrought
And hear the judgement proclaimed
Note well the sentence
And the lack of repentance
By those who have murdered and maimed
So share the annals; gainsay the mystery
Expose the evil; write the history
Before the butchery wins
The plan to eliminate
Must clearly incriminate
And lay bare the invader’s sins

A Dismal Reality

Look at those flags
Fluttering dutifully on the dais
Where the general stands
“Eyes right”
What a moving salute!
All as one
In perfect harmony
The headman salutes back
Note the onlookers
A vital part of the spectacle
Such vast numbers
Watching the soldiers
So stately in those uniforms
All in flawless line
Moving
In perfect time to the music
Such music
Trumpets echoing in the sky
Drums
Beating a heartbeat
Bagpipes
All swirling in obedient cacophony
Little children too
All entranced by the pomp and ceremony
Television cameras
Everywhere
Sharing the drama and glory
Wonderful
Unforgettable display
How sad
Johnny won’t come marching home

On A Myth Of Justice

There
The law is a simpleton
Obedient to the needs of the guilty
In a land of ignominy
Lies are disguised as truth
And justice simply doesn’t matter
Just look at the travesty
In that realm
A criminal has become an infallible king
So many citizens
Are manipulated by fear
By violence
By anger
By false prophesy
Reality is a hidden danger
Twisted out of sight
Suppressed by verbal gimmickry
To turn the greatest number into fools
Puppets
Pawns
Dupes
Victims of an idol’s cunning ambition
Democracy
Is a tragic joke
In that domain of infamy
So let the bells toll
Ring the alarums
Voice the eulogy
Volley the mournful guns
Sound the last post
As justice and integrity are dead

Counterfeit Celebrity

There he lies
Known to everyone
A pillar of his society
Famous
Showered with respect by the media
A political leader
Winner of so much praise
For his policy-making
A legislative icon
What’s that you say?
Some condemnation?
Oh no, not so!
That war in Iraq he supported
Killing innocent thousands
Was just a quirk of the Fates*
Turning asylum
Into indefinite detention
Protected our native-born from embarrassment
His tax concessions for the rich
Gave strength to the economy
Despite the trickle-down mythology
Medicine was scarce for the needy
But that’s life
Unemployment increased and wages fell
But the budget was balanced
Ah yes!
This man was an image
Of what this nation stands for
May he rest in peace

*In ancient Greek mythology, the three Fates were goddesses who watched over the birth and life of humans.

Enemies

Enemies are so gainful
For the nation’s economy
They have flooded the coffers
From time immemorial
Look at Pearl Harbour
December 7, 1941
Ended America’s profitless isolation
World War II closed the Great Depression there
It’s still the same now
The military industrial complex
Is always victorious
BMW, today’s luxury car maker still,
Made war vehicles for Hitler’s Germany
Australia too is an exemplar
Civilian cars failed to sell and factories closed
The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle
Is now a golden source of revenue
And the Cold War was so profitable
The danger was everywhere
Russia was such a lucrative foe
And now we have China and perhaps Iran
Possible enemies so convenient for business
Aha!
Such wondrous stimuli for the defence industry
With the media’s bellicose help
Need we mention
Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan such gainful conflicts?
Or bombs for Israel?
Genocide does not impede profitability
Yes these extortionists are exploiters of inhumanity
As profit springs eternal

royciebaby