Keep on dancing

"Dancing, or saltation, is both a pleasant and a profitable art, which confers and preserves health: it is proper to youth, agreeable to the old, and suitable for all, provided fitness of time and place are observed....
And it is a useful device for ascertaining whether a person be defourmed by the gout... or if they emit an unpleasant odour, as of dead meat."
Arbeau " Orchesographie " 1588

"What clipping, what culling, what kissing and bussing, what smouching and slobbering of one another, what filthy groping and unclean handling is not practiced everywhere in these dancing? And wheras they conclude it is a wholesome exercise for the body, the contrary is most true: for I have known divers, by the immoderate use thereof, have become decripit and lame. Some have broke their legs with skipping, leaping, turning and vaulting, and some have come by one hurt, some by another: but never came thence without some part of his mind broken and lame."
Phillip Stubbes " The Anatomy of Abuses" 1576

NEW WORLD ODOR - Mark Vallen

Just as the need for labor in the United States fostered the development of a Chicano consciousness, Chicano identity has often been expressed in terms of personal and cultural development at the bridge of various systems of economic, cultural and political exchange.
This awareness is reflected in the above work, it's title taken from what President George Herbert Walker Bush used in the early 90s to convey what he thought of the world after the Soviet Union had fallen.
The poster suggests the new world order means nothing but the same carnage under a different regime. The pile of skulls tumbling toward the viewer presents a dark vision of what awaits us in a world dominated by capital and commerce. The gothic lettering reference the typography of the Nazis, perhaps suggesting that the fall of communism has ensured the triumph of fascistic forces. No pasaran!

PADDINGTON BEAR CONDEMNS CHILD DETENTION

Michael Bond, the creator of the much-loved illegal immigrant from darkest Peru, has contrasted Paddington's experience with that of children held in detention centres by the United Kingdom Borders Agency.
Over 60 celebrities added their signatures recently to a letter to the Prime Minister condemning the detention policy and supporting the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal College of General Practitioners and the Faculty of Public Health in calling for it's immediate cessation.
The letter is accompanied by a message in the words of Paddington Bear:
"Whenever I hear about children from foreign countries being put into detention centres, I think how lucky I am to be living at number 32 Windsor Gardens with such nice people as Mr and Mrs Brown. Mrs Bird who looks after the Browns, says if she had her way she would set the children free and lock up a few politicians in their place to see how they liked it!"

Gwyl Dewi Sant/Saint Davd's Day

Some say, however, that the leek-wearing custom commemorates a great Welsh victory over the Saxons, or that it is favoured because its white and green colours are those of the Welsh flag.
Eat leeks in March, and ramsons ( wild garlic ) in May and all year after physicians may play.

" The leek breedeth wind, and evil juice, and maketh heavy dreams; it stirreth a man to make water, and is good for the belly: but if you will boil a leek in two waters and afterwards steep it in cold water, it will be less windy than it was before. The use of leeks is good for them that would have children,"

Who list to reade the deeds
   by valiant Welch-men done,
Shall find them worthy men of Armes,
  as breathes beneath the sunne;
They are of valiant hearts,
  of nature kind and  meeke,
An  honour on St David's Day;
   it is to wear a leeke.

The Welch most ancient is
   of this famous land,
Who were the first that conquered  it,
  by force and warlike hand.
From Troy stout Brute did come,
 this kingdome for  to seeke;
Which was possessed by savage men,
 then honoured be the Leeke.

He having won the same,
  and  put them to the sword :
Of Brute did Britaine first take name,
 as Chronicles record
The Welch true Brittaines are,
  whose swords in blood did reeke,
Of Pagan men being heathenish,
  then honoured by the Leeke.

And know if you would know,
  why they the Leeked do weare;
In honour of St David's day,
  it plainly shall appeare.
Upon St David's day,
  And first of March that weeke,
The Welch-men with their foes did joyne,
  then honoured by the Leeke.

And being in the field,
  their valour they did try;
Where thousands on both sides  being slaine,
  within their bloods did lye.
And they not knowing how
  their friends from foe to seeke;
Into a Gardem they did go,
  where each one pulld a Leeke :

And wore it in his hat,
  their Countrymen to know ;
And  then most valiantly they did
  o'ercome their warlike foe.
Then were noe colours knowne,
  or any feathers eeke;
The feathers first  originall,
  it was the Welch-mans Leeke.

And ever since that time,
  the Leek they use to weare,
In honour of St David's day,
  They doe that Trophy beare.
A Reverend Bishop was
  St David mild and meeke,
And 'tis an honour that same day,
  for them to wear a Leeke.


By the way, I love Wales
But avoid the nationalism
Men are loud-tongued over their drink
I prefer the mystical, deep streams
Let no man be a slave - heddwch/Peace

YouTube - Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru: Darlleniad Barddoniaeth Patrick Jones Poetry Reading

DRUM ( at Handsworth) - Peter Gruffydd

I beat the knuckled skin
so they prance, trip, sway
round the musty room.
My eyes follow the easy
runs of two negro children,
take time from their feet.

Asian kids glide, balance
on bellies, boys hunch
shoulders, pull themselves
along while a lone white
child pecks the air, lurches,
head leading then halts
to stare, mad with drumming.

His eyes say, Too fast; I stop.
Our story comes to circle us,
their eyes draw words, drink
pictures, still drum echoing.
From violated streets they teach
my tonque to allow the flow,
share the shivering drum.




ALSO FROM
Poetry Wales,Volume 26,No 4

HEAVY METAL - Geoff Veasey ( for Bruce Dickinson)

Here they come,
The Budgerigars of Death;
The Green Rabbits from Hell,
Riding the Devil's Stallion
(Which has just overtaken
An "M"-Reg. Reliant Kitten
Outside Shrewsbury.)
Stand aside for Lucifer's bearded Goblons,
In designer Originals;
Satan's pot-bellied slaves,
Leather lizards from Chippenham.
Beelzebub's Hamsters of Oblivion
On a Yamaha 500.
Led by the Grand Vizier of Evil,
Into Megadeth and Slayer,
Tatooing " Born to Die "
In felt -tip marker, on his knuckles.
Into Helloween and Annihilator,
And a daytime job at the Exhaust Centre.
Ripping out inner Tubes
As if they were Sharon Tate's intestines.
Apollons envoys, high on Gateway dumpies.
They're gonna kick as in Barmouth,
Gonna tear down Aberavon,
Riding chronium serpents,
With ten installments left to pay.
Belial's Boys;
Soldiers of the Seven Serpents
( Not eay to say when you wear dentures
after a serious ruck with your own
handlebars near the A5 interchange).
They're gonna mess up Corwen,
Gonna play Deadbeast and Greyhound
Records in the Jukie in that cafe
Near Llangollen, just to terrify the
Cliff Richard fans.
Worshippping Bauxite Angels
Playing Bantamweight chords
In Groups fronted by sad old men
In Spandex pants,
Nore derivative of Pavarotti
Than Delta Blues.
About as macho as a washing machine.
Unable to lyricise over anything
More creative than Gothic Boyhood imagery
Or 8,000 different, pathetic ways
To humiliate a woman.



FROM
Poetry Wales Volume 26, No 4