POETRY
Preface on the nature of the Poetry
In an interesting exchange at the third and final hearing for destruction (note that this was a civil case) held at Isleworth Crown Court between Judge Mcgreggor-Johnson and the defence barrister Robert Lynford, on the merits of what might be traditionally termed the 'poetry broadsheet'. It was submitted by Mr Lynford that the very nature of this time confirmed means of communication, text must to a degree influence the interpretation of the pictorial content and visa-versa. The Judge discussed this proposition with his two female JPs and came to the conclusion that this was not so and both the literary and pictorial content had no influence on each other.
Coming from a supposedly educated Judge and his female associates this decision was not only contrary to cultural and historical evidence – it would make a nonsense of the works of our greatest painter poet, the incomparable visionary William Blake, but also the product of 500 years of printed works, both temporal and spiritual. This incident proves unequivocally that one may be authoritative in ones own particular discipline, ie the Law, on this occasion, but equally be very poorly versed in the nature of the overall culture of a greater society.
Simply, though, there are a number of truly educated Judges but also one must be aware that a proportion of those who have been given authority over us, including lesser members of the judiciary, are remarkably culturally illiterate in those most important evolutions, the arts and humanities. Or as Harriet Beecher Stowe plainly points out in Uncle Tom's Cabin, the very law and its practitioners are corrupted by their own ignorance.
This is a classic piece of deception by means of text modifying the read (name on this occasion) LOLITA. The general will no doubt automatically read this now infamous female name as something to be wary of, even despised, ever since it was used by Nabakov in his now famous novel. In fact Lolita starts life as a popular ballad and soon captures the world, as witnessed by these two record labels from the Edwardian period sung by the all time greats Caruso and McCormack. What Buzzi Peccia, the composer of this trifle would of thought of the now infamous name of his popular creation, well whatever else, it shows the power of words and pictures to invent, but not always for the good. One must never underestimate the ignorance of the media and Mrs Grundy as the servant of misinformation.
Suffer little children …
It is interesting to note that in all probability all places of Christian worship in the world at large, will have within their precincts representations of Christ Crucified. Some, such as the Crosses carved by the earlier believers stand very publicly for any passer by to see. We no more think of these representations, right up to the present moment, as indecent. They are the cornerstone of what we consider compassionate civilization. Yet crucifixion if practised (as in certain degenerate societies, Nazi Germany being an example) would be and is regarded as a heinous crime. This would bring the full wrath of the law into action, the retribution against such perpetrators would be stern indeed.
There are many great works of art which depict the nailing of the Saviour to his cross, two examples would be Rembrandt's Three Crosses (etching), Grunwalds 'Plague Crucifixion' (The Isenheim Alter Piece). Who would think of destroying these masterpieces on the basis that they represent a malicious crime and therefore might be considered as indecent imagery, one that might corrupt the sensibilities of both the establishment, equally, those who have little understanding of their own potential Grace. (This happened on a massive scale during the Reformation, are we now in a not dissimilar state of moral cowardice, mainly precipitated by the bureaucratic forces of darkness)?
No doubt if Christ was to walk this Earth again and utter his beautiful words “Suffer little children to come unto me for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven” … In all probability he would be arrested as a paedophile and once again (if only in metaphor) be crucified as such.
Es Is Vollbracht
All is fulfilled … now cost
the bitter loss on clutching cross,
clasped cruel cold with hammer hold
through torn flesh, grasping grief.
That being broke as like-a-thief
toss on the reeking heap. Then store
and stack the pain of glutton gore
(death's cheap pence pay to pity poor)
but ever let compassion weigh the loss.
There … show the shame
man's vicious mark, blame each
their heartless part, who
discarding gift so freely made
paid the donor with a life ill laid.
He, no rage, our Passion weighed
and though base balanced, stayed
his hand of righteous wrath...
What Christly cost!
A Child's Scale
(Written at the request of Princess Diana)
Before the season
turned towards a deeper shade
we played amongst the dappled light
unfettered by the thought of stalking time.
Within the compass of our sight
these small hands might cup to drain an ocean:
the thumb and finger frame a flower's flame
or, with emotion, point to circumscribe a star.
Such is a child's scale.
That is now memory.
And yet we are still the keeper of our pale past
the half remembered child those years defiled
to lay as dank clay in a creeping cold.
For while the seasons turn, this germ
may once more press its point
and thrust between the mould,
to prove each wonder as it did of old.