Harriet Avery Gaul (1886-?) - The War Wife (a song)

,
lest we forget

American, writer, married commposer Harvey Bartlett Gaul . Authorof Five Nights at the Five Pines ( 1922),( Vamp till Ready, a Comedy of the Depression (1932), and with Ruby Eiseman, John Alfred Breashear, Scientist and Humanitarian, 1840-1920 (1940)

The War Wife (a song)

You left me lad with a heart of stone.
Where are you boy?
You march with flags while I stumble alone,
Where, where are you boy?

Will you ne'er come back through the long dead years.
Where are you boy?
The song of war is the sound of tearsm where, where are you boy?
Where are you boy?

My life grows dark with the redd'ning sun,
My day is nigh and my travail done.
Will you hear our child when the fight is won.
Where are you boy?

Reprinted from
My Country is the Whole World
An Anthology of Women's Work on Peace and War
Cambidge Women's Peace Collective
1984.

Horizon (for Robert Chrysler 21/10/67 - 4/09/12)

I have been using social media and blogging since June 2009. Every so often I have made connections that greatly influence  my thoughts and my perceptions of certain realities, and how I view the world.
Robert Chrysler was one of these. He befriended me on facebook  back in April 2010, possibly because  he identified with someone who shared a poetic pulse, I can never be sure.I began to admire his posts immensely, his outsider edge and his obvious love of freedom, connecting the obvious, to the rather arcane with a strong surrealist bent. I never met him and it is not a long time to have had an acquaintance, but it was a connection I valued., 
'Robert Chrysler  He said of himself  '  is  an inspired subway ranter from Toronto, Canada. He enjoys challenging capitalist property, trying to figure out what the post structuralists are going on about, and dreams of someday living in a tree.'
I looked forward to hearing his voice....then recently notced that his daily facebook pages had drifted away. I looked at his profile 2 days ago and was shocked and deeply saddened to find he had suddenly passed away  on the 4th of October.
His thoughts always invigorating and stimulating, I discovered too how long this great man had spent on journeys of difficulty and hardship. There were battles with drugs and homelessness, yet he never seemed to have lost his sense of humour, and a thirst for something new, a hunger too for social justice.
A great intellect, who came along and inspired, so thanks Robert R.I.P, you have taken me places where it will take a lifetime to look.
Here are some links to his writings, that give an insight to his great mind.

http://www.fullofcrow.com/prate/2009/11/robert-chrysler/

http://www.ditchpoetry.com/robertchrysler.htm

http://balloonpoetry.blogspot.com.au/2009/08/3-poems-by-robert-chrysler.html

An interview with him here.

http://www.ditchpoetry.com/Robert%20Chrysler%20Interview.pdf

This is something I wrote the other night.

Horizon.

We follow echoes
and make connections,
follow paths back and forth
swaying slightly,listen to distant
                          lulling waves,
blossoms become dreams.
Outsider winds
gravitate through portal  windows,
urgent smiles fall out of
subterranean tunnels,
make contact, out of view
Our hungry reflections criss cross,
on journeys where we grow
planting seeds , tableaus of love
humming through the darkness,
when often the sky gets too bright
into the air voices drift,
call out in a world of international paths
we share things,bringing the outside in,
conjure magic,release waking steam
through chasms of anchorage,
we touch  the edge of horizons path
as our wings keep moving,
our reckless  fingers flutter
as we dive for breath,
beneath our dirty fingernails
and chaos bubbles,
releases the warmth of fiery flame,
in the end the sky closes in
but the river keeps on flowing.

John Cooper Clarke - The New Assassin

SKIP THE ROADBLOCK HERE SHE COMES

 GET A LOAD OF THE PRETTY BLUE GUN

ANY SLICK TRICK UNDER THE SUN

SHE'LL DO IT IF IT ISN'T DONE

SHE MADE ARRANGEMENTS SHE COULDN'T COME

SHE DRESSES LIKE A SECRETARY AND LIVES LIKE A NUN

YOUR CRIME IS THE RADIANT PASSION

IT'S TIME FOR THE NEW ASSASSIN


          COOL KILLER TOP OF THE CLASS
         
          THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHATTERPROOF GLASS

          WORKS AS FAST AS THE CAMERAS FLASH

          WITH THE CYANIDE CIGARETTES AND THE CS GAS

          IT'S HER JOB - DOESN'T BAT AN EYELASH

          SHE'S WORKING FOR THE PERISHING MASS

          THE BREADLINE'S BACK IN FASHION

          IT'S TIME FOR THE NEW ASSASSIN


A MELODY PLAYED ON A HAND GRENADE

FROM THE RIFLE RANGE IN THE GREEN ARCADE

AS  THE RAIN  FELL DOWN ON THE BIG PARADE

 MESSED UP THE MOTORCADE - MUCKED UP THE MASQUERADE

SECRET WEAPONS BECOME DISPLAYED

 IN THE HANDS OF HALF A DOZEN AIDES

JUST FOUR MEN AND A COUPLE OF GAY BLADES

 SHANTUNG SUITS AND SHATTERPROOF SHADES

SHOOT UP ANYBODY WHO HAPPENS TO BE PASSING

EVERYBODY BUT THE NEW ASSASSIN


             ONE LINK IN THE HUMAN CHAIN
     
             IN THE CITY WHERE IT ALWAYS RAINS

             NO PROFIT OR PERSONAL GAIN

             ARE THE SILENT RULES IN A LONESOME GAME

             ONE FACE IN A PURPLE FRAME

             A BLACK BORDER ROUND THE NAME

             CHALK MARKS AROUND A BLOOD STAIN

             THIN BLUE LINE RED LIGHT FLASHING

             IT'S TIME FOR THE NEW ASSASSIN

             WHAT TIME DID YOU SEE IT HAPPEN

             IT'S TIME FOR THE NEW ASSASSIN 
           


From :-
Zip Style Method, 1982, ( a teifidancer essential  )                

                 

95th Anniversary of the Bolshevilk Revolution

On this day1917 the Bolsheviks storm the Winter Palace.

" Not by compromise with the propertied classes, or with the other political leaders, not by concilating the old Government mechanism, did the Bolsheviks conquer the power. Nor by the organised violence of a small clique. If the masses all over Russia  had not been ready for insurrection it must have failed. The only reason for Bolshevik success lay in their accomplishing the vast and simple desires of the most profound strata of the people, calling them  to the work of tearing down and destroyng the old, and afterwards in the smoke of falling ruins, cooperating with them to erect the frame-work of the new"
- John Reed
10 days that shook the World
1922.

For a while , at least, another system seemed achievable.Unfortunately, rather than produce socialism, the Bolshevik Revolution gave birth to autocratic party dictatorship residing over a state Capitalist economy and gave rise to the horrors of the Stalinist system. Equality did not appear and many human rights were curtailed. But of course circumstances at the time also dictated, their were many external pressures, and counter revolutionary forces, these were tumultuos times. But for me,  the vision still lingers on, and   in the heart of many others the goal of  global revolution still achievable. Long has this time , had resonance for those of us  who think about freedom and the themes of social justce. So unless we learn from the lessons of history we are doomed to repeat them.
Emma Goldman noted that it was 'a tragic fact that all revolutions have sprung from the loins of war. Instead of translating the revolution into social gains the people have usually  been forced to defend themselves against warring parties.... It seems nothing great is born without pain and travail.'
from Vision on Fire, pages 218-222.

Celebration of the Bolshevik Revolution
on 95th anniversary of Red October
Song written by Woody Guthrie, sung by Billy Bragg

Russian Revolution 1917

The Communist Internationale ( original with English lyrics)

Down with all forms of tyranny, exploitation and oppression. Class war does exist. There simpy is a ruling class and a working class.

Glorious story of October 1917 Revolution

(Soviet Propoganda film)

95th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution

It is perhaps ironic that one day after the dismal election of 2012 we are celebrating the 95th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. There could hardly be a starker contrast. In one case, the working class is presented with a choice between two representatives of the bourgeoiie, each of which is pledged to continue the assault on living standards and democratic rights that have marked the decade since 9/11. As long as the two parties of the bourgeoisie continue to define political life, there is no future.
http://forum.permanent-revolution.org/2012/11/95th-anniversary-of-russian-revolution.html

' There are decades when nothing happens, and then

there are week when decades happen.'

- Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Support for disabled Protestor staging vigil and hunger strike outside Atos Offices in Cardiff.

A man stopped of his benefit after falling victim to the dreaded work capability Assesments has announced he will end his hunger strike outside the Cardiff offices of Atos Healthcare, however a week long vigil will continue.
Christos Palmer who has both mental and physical health problems , including depression, hopes the protest will highlight the suffering of disabled people caused by this cruel heartless government. ATOS is the controversial French company  that carries out the controversial work Capability Assessments on behalf of the government.It has been the subject of widespread condemnation from  disability charities and the British Medical Association has called for the assessments to be scrapped completely. The firm has been accused of target chasing for cutting the amount of people found eligible for benefits.Doin this, in a thirst for profit way. I know of people whose G.Ps valuable medical opinions have been simply tossed aside, because ATOS sure do not.
Christos's actions can only be commended, its cold and windy out their on the streets and deserves all the support that can be mustered. He represents all of us faced with this terrible situation. A company being used by this government to wage war against societies most vulnerable. Welfare is now being torn from those, who most deserve it.
He and his supporters have been gathering at St Agnes Road, Cardiff from 9a.m to 4.p.m , all this week until the 9th of November.
all are welcome to go and join them . Their is a facebook group too that you can go to and leave messages of support
.https://www.facebook.com/events/430345053681756/

A spokesperson from Disabled People Against Cuts in Cardiff http://www.dpac.uk.net/2012/11/disabled-protestor-to-stage-vigil-hunger-strike-outside-of-atos-offices-in-cardiff/  said,

" While we support the protest aims we are extremely concerned about Christos's physical and mental well being. He often suffersfrom extreme fatigue and is housebound on some days. That somebody so unwell has been driven to this shows the desperation that the sick and disabled are being driven to by this government. We are urging him to end his hunger strike."

Bill Hicks (14/12/61 -26/2/94) - It's Just A Ride

 One of my favourite comedians, still relevant, still pushing buttons,his ride was a life lived without fear. An anti war,  pro smoker, who waged war against corporate America and its bastions of mainstream media.As well as being  a brilliant stand up comedian, social critic, satirist and musician he attacked the complaceny of our so called consensus realities, through laughter  he made unacceptable ideas seem irresistable, cutting through  bullshit with bullets of joy.Raging  hard against  the injustices of life.
Nearly 20 years after his death, his reputation just grows and grows.You can get more from him over here. Lovely documentary about him from the BBC, that old institution that we used to trust so much.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010j56z
 
"The world is like a ride at an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it, you think it's real, because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round and it has thrills and chills and it's very brightly colored and it's very loud. And it's fun, for a while. 

Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question: 'Is this real? Or is this just a ride?' And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and they say 'Hey! Don't worry, don't be afraid -- ever -- because... this is just a ride.' And we kill those people. 

'Shut him up! We have a lot invested in this ride! Shut him up! Look at my furrows of worry; look at my big bank account, and my family. This has to be real.' 

It's just a ride.

But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that -- ever notice that? -- and we let the demons run amok. But it doesn't matter, because... it's just a ride, and we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort. No worry. No job. No savings and money. Just a choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your door, buy bigger guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one. 

Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, into a better ride:

Take all that money we spend on weapons and defense each year and, instead, spend it feeding, clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would do many times over -- not one human being excluded -- and we can explore space together, both inner and outer, forever. In peace. 

- Bill Hicks 

95th anniversary of the Balfour declaration.

 Lord Arthur Balfour

The Balfour Declaration (1917), which is named after Arthur James Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary during the Word War 1, was the one of key developments in the early stages of the twentieth Century  that influenced the Jewish communities of the world to believe that Great Britan would support the creation of a jewish state in the Middle East. The ramifications would be seen up until the present day.
Balfour sent an official letter declaring the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the area  known as "Palestine" to Baron Walter Rothschild (the 2nd Baron Rothschild), a leader of the British Jewish community, who accepted it on behalf of Great Britain and Ireland.

The immortal words of the letter said the following:

" His Majesty's Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by jews in any other country."

The Original Letter of the Balfour Declaration

Seems the latter half of this letter has been completely ignored by Israel.With those words, which were later incorporated into the Severes peace treaty that ended hostilities between Britain and Ottoman Turkey at the conclusion of the First World War, the Zionist cause took a giant step forward, aided and abetted by the cloak of imperialism.

Zionism is the belief in the establishment of a national homeland for the jewish people in their ancestral Biblical homeland. The word "Zionism" comes from Zion which is also called Jerusalem.

The letter was also incorporated into the league of Nations Mandate for Palestine, becomming further enshrined in international law.
In another letter Balfour sent, after the WW1 had ended, he answered some of the critics of the Declaration who said that it was not right for England to "impose" Zionism on the local Arab indigeneous population he said.

" I do not think that Zionism will hurt the Arabs, but they will never say they want it......Whatever be the future of Palestine, it is not now an 'independent nation' nor is it yet on the way to become one......If Zionism is to influence the Jewish problem throughout the world Palestine must be made available for the largest number of Jewish immigrants."

The rest is history and started a series of events that led to the foundation of the State of Israel and what is now to the occupation against the people in Gaza, and the continual violations in the West Bank, the illegal settlement activities in occupied Jerusalem, and the attempt to force the Palestinians out of their lands. Before we celebrate Happy Balfour Day we should remember this. I personally reckon that Balfour would be turning in his grave at the histiorical injustices carried out in his name.

1948

With the Balfour Declaration, Britain, because yes it was us, unleashed a series of events in Palestine that have caused enormous suffering and loss to the Palestinian people.It is unnacceptable too, that today, 65 years after the partition of Palestine, the UK has recognised the state of Israel but not the state of Palestine. The occupation of the Palestinian territories is not just illegal but brutal.
Consequently occupation always generates resistance. Britains history in all this narrative is shameful, but the present day atrocities lay at the door of only one nation. End the Occupation, end the problems in my humble opinion.
Let us remember too, that it is the policies of Israel today, that are themselves an insult and a threat to Jews everywhere. The  leaders of Israel  were never satisfied with what they eventually got in 1948. They unfortunately set their sights much wider. And to this day carry out policies of expansion and domination in acts of provocation.
Until measures are made by Israel to improve the standard of living, and bring economic prosperity to the Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Bringing some chord of social justice, and recognition of the Palestinians identity , and stolen land given back to them,and an end to their continuing use of apartheid practices., their will be no peace. That is Balfours tragic legacy.