Tag: People

Fractionally Better Off

I am not nothing

I am one eighth that became a seventh

I am one sixth and one quarter of two thirds

I am one half that begat a quarter, then grew to an eighth

I am one seventeen-thousand-eight-hundred-and-fourth1

I am one sixty-six-million-eight-hundred-and-ninety-thousandth2

I am one five-hundred-and-eight-millionth3

I am one seven-point-eight-billionth4

I am one with you

~

Notes:

1 Portsmouth FC average home attendance 2019/20 season

2 UK population 66.886 million (2020 estimate) 

3 EU total population was estimated in 2015 as 508 million

4 Estimated global population in March was 2020 7.8 billion

~

CLP  07/07/2020

Voluntary Closures: Government Hides from Reality

The UK government chooses weasel words to encourage changes in behaviour without showing any sign of leadership and without taking responsibility for the population.

The talk of talks with businesses ignores a simple fact, businesses are legal entities, not real people. If a firm goes into shutdown because of lost trade, or because of the government request for voluntary closures, the workers get sent home. The workers need to eat and drink, not the businesses.

Rent and mortgages must be suspended. A universal income must be paid out. Workers are being laid off, not because they are ill, but because the businesses are closing voluntarily. This is businesses doing the right thing. The workers, not unwell, are then bereft of income because of the Corona virus. They then must qualify for support.

If it was a traditional war soldiers would be conscripted, clothed, paid, housed, fed and armed without question. This is a different form of war. The workers are on the frontline. They need feeding, housing.

Time to think about the people, not the businesses, unless the firm is involved in the manufacture and distribution of food and essential materials.

CLP 17/03/2020

Like Christmas Eve

Not the brushing of hair, best clothes

Glass of sherry before Midnight Mass

Walk to church under the frosted stars and a slice of moon

Not the quiet time listening to carols on Radio 3

Wrapping presents, piling them under the tree

Not a light meal ahead of the gorging of Christmas Day.

Not these delights, no.

.

Car park full. No shopping trolleys to hand

Broken down boxes in metal cages blocking the aisles

Parents with children dragging behind

Barren shelves, bar the odd crumpled tin

Chaos at the check-outs, not enough staff

No pasta, no toilet rolls, no hand sanitiser

Flustered staff, all good manners drained

Sick of re-stating that tomorrow’s delivery might carry the stock

No promises, no guarantees

Just like Christmas Eve, but without the joy.

.

n.b. Corona virus panic buying in full swing I hear.

There is a charity box on Albert Road, Southsea which carries a message, “Give what you can. Take what you need.” We live in hope that the essence of these words filters through.

CLP 15/03/2020

On Me Head, Lass

Do you mind if I…

The attractive young woman began

Moving to my side

Touching the nape of neck

Checking me over

Closely

Touching my ear

Rearranging a little silver-white curl on my crown

…if I photograph your hair?

I think it’s beautiful

.

After taking a few photographs

From different angles

She turned to her phone, smiled

And said

“That will be ten pounds, please”

That’s a fair price for a haircut

I paid, happy as a show lamb

(And we all knows what happens to boy lambs don’t we’s?

There’re the first to leave the farm)

.

CLP 21/02/2020