Guy Conner's Blog, page 11
February 9, 2015
A is for Arnyx Illustration
A typical illustration from my book of children’s verse: “A is for Arnyx”
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Uncoupled Couplets
In 1966, William Cole produced a small book entitled: “Uncoupled Couplets”. The idea was to take a line from a poem by a famous poet and add a ridiculous or at least telling rhyming line. For example (From the book):
Oliver Goldsmith: “When lovely woman stoops to folly,”
…”I want to be around, by golly!”
Here are two of my own:
Robert Herrick: “When as in silks, My Julia goes,”
…”The outline of her girdle shows.”
Lord Byron: “Did ye not hear it? No! ‘Twas but the wind”
…”Escaping from my nether end....
February 8, 2015
Leadership
The seventh and final principle of political life is Leadership: political leadership should honor and uphold these principles. I have trouble with this one as a principle. Political leaders are, by definition politicians, and politicians should honor and uphold these principles. It seems circular.
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Two more Clerihews
Carl Sagan
Dates an extraterrestrial pagan.
Late at night, he waits alone
Beside his cosmic telephone.
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Had a taste for citric jelly.
When he tasted lemon-lime,
He would burst into a rhyme.
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Honesty
The sixth principle of political life is honesty. To this point, I have been discussing flaws in a series of idealistic principles and giving my take in how to improve them. This principle needs no improvement; politicians should be honest in their financial dealings; honest in their policy discussions (don’t let ideology blind you to the flaws in a proposal) and honest when talking about their personal life.
However, there is a fundamental rule of politics, which I like to formulate this way:...
February 5, 2015
Political Light Verse
Have you ever noticed that light verse ages well, especially if it has political undertones?
Consider the following:
Most gracious Queen, we thee implore
To go away and sin no more.
But if that effort be too great,
To go away at any rate.
That’s amusing, even if you don’t know that the reference is to Queen Caroline, the estranged wife of George the Third, or that “go away and sin no more” is from the Bible.
Or this, supposedly found on the collar of Charles the Second’s pet:
I am His Majesty’s dog a...
February 4, 2015
Openness
The Fifth Principle of Political Life is Openness: information should be restricted only when necessary for the public interest. By now, you will have figured out that I am inclined to think that this kind of idealistic statement needs some modification. Sometimes, the modifications I make are to make sure the Principle is focused on policy and governance. In this case, another theme of mine is also important – the politician as human being.
In the early sixties, every reporter in Washington k...
February 2, 2015
Variation on a Theme by Shakespeare
My original post on variations is here. The theme in question in this verse is Hotspur’s death speech from the end of Henry the Fourth, Part One. This verse treats the material quite differently than the original; it was written a bit later than the first two variations – around 1971.
Why is there sadness?
Why tears?
Why artificial barriers?
What was; is. What will be; was.
Why should life be Time’s Fool’
To fool us because we cannot see?
All of Time exists.
We have but a little bit if it,
To hug, and...
February 1, 2015
My second published poem
From Copperfield’s Literary Magazine, June 1992
(you can find the first here)
Moody House: Winter 1971
From the window of my grandparents’ room,
I see an empty, defenseless beach
Exposing itself at the edge of town.
From time to time, the ocean smacks its lips
And licks another layer off.
The room is square, and its walls
Are without pictures, or other signs of life.
Near the closet, an unmade desk
Is littered with neglected work.
I sit on the bed; I am alone.
My Grandfather walks the endless halls.
His si...
January 31, 2015
An anti-war sonnet
(from 2004-2005)
Old men, not young, should go to war.
The young are fearless, older men
have learned acceptance. Even when
They’re faced with death, it cannot mar
The record of the life they’ve led.
They’ll fight with calm, the almost dead.
Young men will often go too far,
Old men, not young, should go to war.
But, soft, that argument is wrong.
Old men enjoy a summer’s dayAs much as any callow youth.
Young men, though fearless, brave, and strong,
Need time for laughter and for play.
We all should stay at...
