In Denial

“I’m not complaining…”
“I’m not suggesting you’re wrong…”
“I’m not being rude…”

“I’m not judging you…”
“I’m not being critical…”
“I love him dearly…”

“I don’t dislike her…”
“I love all my relatives…”
“I’m not a racist…”

I don’t trust people
who make statements such as these,
then add the word “But…”

Email: suebarnard2@gmail.com

Blog: http://broad-thoughts-from-a-home.blogspot.co.uk

Sue is a novelist, an award-winning poet, and a member of the editorial team of Crooked Cat Publishing.  She has a mind which is sufficiently warped as to be capable of compiling questions for BBC Radio 4’s fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz – an attribute which once caused one of her sons to describe her as “professionally weird.”

She lives in Cheshire with her husband and a large collection of unfinished scribblings.

Hallowe’en

To those who follow paganism,
it’s called Samhain.

To those who follow Christianity,
it’s called All Hallows’ Eve.

To those who follow like sheep,
it’s called Halloween (sic).

An excuse to sell
tacky stuff at high prices,

to children who will spend the evening
veiled like characters from a Z-grade horror flick,

knocking on strangers’ doors
and making unveiled threats.

“Trick or Treat?”
In other words:

“Give us something now,
or we’ll vandalise your property.”

Since when has this
become acceptable behaviour?

Sue Barnard

Email: suebarnard2@gmail.com

Blog: http://broad-thoughts-from-a-home.blogspot.co.uk

Sue is a novelist, an award-winning poet, and a member of the editorial team of Crooked

Cat Publishing. She has a mind which is sufficiently warped as to be capable of compiling

questions for BBC Radio 4’s fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz – an attribute which once

caused one of her sons to describe her as “professionally weird.”

She lives in Cheshire with her husband and a large collection of unfinished scribblings.

Song of the Square Mile (an EC-Shanty)

What shall we do with the merchant banker?
What shall we do with the merchant banker?
What shall we do with the merchant banker?
Make him earn his bonus!

Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
And make him earn his bonus!

Take away his dirt-cheap mortgage,
Take away his dirt-cheap mortgage,
Take away his dirt-cheap mortgage,
And make him earn his bonus!

Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
And make him earn his bonus!

Make him work in his own call centre,
Make him work in his own call centre,
Make him work in his own call centre,
And make him earn his bonus!

Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
And make him earn his bonus!

Pay him no interest on his savings,
Pay him no interest on his savings,
Pay him no interest on his savings,
And make him earn his bonus!

Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
And make him earn his bonus!

Sting him for obscene high charges,
Sting him for obscene high charges,
Sting him for obscene high charges,
And make him earn his bonus!

Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
And make him earn his bonus!

Take away his guaranteed pension,
Take away his guaranteed pension,
Take away his guaranteed pension,
And make him earn his bonus!

Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
Show him life in the real world,
And make him earn his bonus!

When he’s learned the value of money
When he’s learned the value of money
When he’s learned the value of money
Then he’s earned his bonus!