photo by Klaas via Unsplash
The phone I get,
The fan I’ve seen,
But where in the world have you put the screen?
Padre
Millennial Dilemma
society
Curiosities
“Why are those old books in the museum, Grandpa?”
“They are law books – books about the law, Sweetie.”
“Law books? What’s law?”
“They are the rules we live by. They tell people what they should and shouldn’t do.”
“But doesn’t the Great President do that for us?” the little boy asked with an expression of confusion.
“Well yes, Sweetie, but before the Great President’s father became ‘President-for-Life,’ many people worked together to make the rules.”
“That’s silly,” the child retorted. “What if those people had different ideas? At least now we know exactly what is right cuz the Great President tells us so. And we don’t need lot’s of dusty books, we just need to read the Tweets.”
Grandpa took a quick look around the museum, noting the woman in the regulation black skirt-suit. He then said in a loud but sad voice, “Exactly right Sweetie.” Then trailed off looking down at the floor, “Exactly right.”
Padre
Mansplaining
Him:
“It’s rather theoretical – kind of complex,
To take it in, your mind you must flex.
But it’s rather simple if you think like a man.”
Her:
“To you all things – seem complex,
But unlike you, I will read the can.”
Padre
FOWC with Fandango — Theoretical
Weekend Writing Prompt #137 – Complex in 41 words
News?
Pixabay
“I am so confused,” Charlie said. “‘Fake news,’ half truths, and everyone saying the other side is manipulating the facts.”
“I know what you mean,” Carol replied. “Like the Tories setting up a ‘fact finding’ website that was just to confuse voters.”
“Then there’s the papers,” Harriet piped in. “You have the left-wing Guardian and the totally right polarised, Express.
“Telly’s just as bad,” Carol observed. “And it’s confusing. People have accused the Beeb of being liberal in its views for years, but now Labour is saying the BBC commentators have conspired against them.
“Like I said,” Charlie reiterated, “I am confused. Where can we possibly go to find the truth?”
“Maybe something foreign like Aljazeera or Fox will set us straight,” Harriet offered.
Padre
Christine’s Daily Writing Prompt: The Polar Express
Modern Times: A pseudo-Haibun
image: The Sun
It is a sad reflection on our modern times when iconic landmarks cannot be clearly viewed. Be it Buckingham Palace, The White House, or hundreds of other key tourist destinations, they are enclosed in cordons of concrete bollards and barricades.
While one might appreciate the security concerns about the safety of heads of state, these obstacles (and often eyesores) also surround many museums as well. Holocaust museums, okay, but art galleries? How have we come to this point that society is so broken that everyplace where the public might gather is in need of fortification?
Historic places, monuments all
Museums, palaces, national malls
Our heritage is there for all to see
But photos come with difficulty
Try as you may, and try as you might
It’s hard to keep the barricades
Out of your camera’s sights
Padre
Weekend Writing Prompt #135 – Barricade in 136 words
Black Friday
image: The Independent
A Friday black
After a Thursday grey
It’s dull and rainy
So at home I’ll stay
The promise of bargains
On things I don’t need
Is not worth facing
Shoving shoppers’ greed
So I’ll take up my keyboard
And write a poem or two,
Enjoying a mince pie
And a hot milky brew
Padre
Encounter
image: Unsplash
It seemed to be a test of his statesmanship. As the politician made his way across the lobby, a journalist asked how he could defend his party’s latest draconian policies.
“Excuse me Minister,” she called. “How can your party justify the incarceration of immigrants and the seizing of their assets as ‘collateral’ for their repatriation? And how can it be right that your government chooses the means of repatriation, usually on our military aircraft, but at a ‘cost’ to the immigrant exceeding first class air transport?”
As he began to respond to the testing question, all words and ideas fled from his mind.
Padre
Saturday Mix – Unique Personality, 16 November 2019: As he began the test, all words and ideas fled from his mind.
Weekend Writing Prompt #132 – Draconian
The Rite of Passage
image: Volkswagen Owners
He sat waiting at the liminal passage between “youth,” and “of age.” His heart pounded as the middle-aged woman tallied the marks on her page. He knew that one turn hadn’t been the greatest, but he had anticipated the threat on the side street. Then the woman nodded, it was a pass. He was now a driver.
Padre
Weekend Writing Prompt #131 – Liminal in 57 words
A note to some of you American readers: In the UK the driving exam is done on the public roadways in actual (real) traffic not in designated lanes or closed courses as in some US states.
The Treason of the Season
image: Funky Sunflower
It’s early November. McDonald’s has just released its festive menu including drinks in reindeer antler motif cups. Three shops I passed on my way to college today had window displays with Christmas themes. Sainsbury’s Supermarkets have been selling fruitcakes and other “seasonal foods” since late September or early October. Last year they had started selling hot cross buns in February which had use by dates a full fortnight before the actual day of Easter.
When I was a kid, “Christmas season” began after Thanksgiving, with Santa finishing off Macy’s parade. But since then the season of “peace on earth, and good will to men,” has come to be more and more about selling. It is the treason of the season, where conspicuous consumption eclipses the nativity story.
This “money” obsession has really figured in this year’s radio campaign for bonds. It’s plug is that kids won’t play with their presents for more than a week or so, therefore you should give them bonds that keep on giving. Yes, the average six year old goes around saying “I want an investment for Christmas.” See the point, even fun, much less the true Christmas story is overshadowed by “wealth” and profit.
Now I will get off my soap box and try to ignore the upcoming Black Friday.
Padre
Politics: A Tanka
image: Pixabay
Brace yourself! Ready?
It’s election time again
Candidates prepare
More promises to be made
Forgotten come polling day
Padre
Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 152, #Poet’sChoice
