Category Archives: Architecture, Art and Music

Poems relating to architecture, art or music

Saint Andrew

Saint Andrew

Today we celebrate the Apostle Saint Andrew
Patron saint of fishermen, Scotland, and Russia
Brother of Simon Peter, and one of the first to be called
He in turn brought people to Jesus, not least the lad with the loaves and fishes

From Andrew we have an example of willingness to serve others
Today we might say he was a people person
In Scotland he is fondly remembered and his day celebrated
Not merely by nationalists for the saltire cross but by all who would give of themselves for the good of others

Ken Fisher

 

In Praise of Poetry – 2022

In Praise of Poetry
In celebration of National Poetry Day 6 October 2022

From bard of old to modern scribe
Folks from their clan or ancient tribe
Set down their thoughts on love and life
Of peaceful days or times of strife

Primitive symbols on cave walls
Or ancient tomes kept in great halls
Retold their tales of days of yore
Of battles, feuds, and much spilled gore

Throughout the history of their land
In metropolis or island strand
In each succeeding generation
Poets voice the thoughts of every nation

As they recount in verse and rhyme
Acts heroic in their time
Myths and sagas thus survive
And old traditions kept alive

Poetry upholds a nation’s pride
Expresses feelings deep and wide
That tell of our own situation
Our joys, our hopes, and life’s frustrations

And in the words of rhyme and prose
The poet seeks to thus compose
A tale that touches deep the heart
Reflecting life like every art

But in that special written form
A poetic voice can thus transform
Emoted by some word or phrase
We shed a tear or shout in praise

Ken Fisher

Venerated Ruins

Venerated Ruins

The Scottish Borders Abbeys
Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso, Jedburgh

Dryburgh Abbey 

 

                                                                             

Kelso Abbey

Serene in these ancient kirkyards
The ruins lie at rest
Testimony to their illustrious past
Historians will know best

Founded in the 12th Century
In King David’s reign
Scotland’s southern monasteries
Through all chance and change
Their mission was the same

Perpetual prayer and supplication
The Chapter and the Rule’s command
Hours of silence, simple tasks
The discipline demands

Despite the pursuit of such peace
The sanctuary oft disrupted
Warring factions, Border reives
Plunder and pillage their service interrupted

And now in modern times the silence reigns
Historic testimony their only proclamation
Mere venerated ruins with muted voice
Unheeded by our post-Christian nation

Ken Fisher

 

Yorkshire

Yorkshire

A visit to Yorkshire will do you much good
Like a slice of roast beef with Yorkshire pud
Long walks in the dales might give you blisters
As you pursue the tales of those Bronte sisters

The largest county in the whole of England
From Leeds cityscape to Scarborough sand
Ancient abbeys, fortresses and castles to see
The home of Emmerdale on your TV

Building societies for the financially wise
Percy Shaw who gave roads Cats Eyes
Cricketing legends and Sheffield steel
Harrogate health spas to improve how you feel

In earlier years even the Yorkie bar
Sent from the county to lands afar
Wensleydale cheese, another favourite
And Parkin a cake for your great delight

I think you can see Yorkshire gets my vote
If a little time you care to devote
It’s not too far if you care to travel
And strong Yorkshire Tea is not their only marvel!

 

Ken Fisher

Andante

Andante

 

 

Andante – a moderately slow tempo
An easy walking pace
Relaxed, unhurried
You’re not in a race

We live life in a rush
Startled by the starter’s gun
Forward, ever onward
Always on the run

Why can’t we learn
It’s not a competition?
There is no prize
No quest for recognition

As in the fabulous tale
The Hare and the Tortoise
Hare defeated in the race
Opponent held his poise

So let us learn to keep
That even balanced tread
In all our daily doings
Its steady rhythm embed

Andante – like ticking of the clock
Slow but sure progress
Meet each daily challenge
While serenity possess

Ken Fisher

Demystify

Demystify

While contemplating my Anti-Fog Lens Cloth
[Which has been extremely effective in the pandemic]
Thoughts arose as to what else might need demystifying
How might I achieve a clearer vision and sharper focus?

Here are just a few Big Ideas which need demystifying for us
The lay public realise we should understand these concepts
But often don’t, and even more often
Are untroubled by our ignorance!

Can you lift the veil on these mysteries?

General Relativity, Particle Physics, DNA
In Cosmology what part does Dark Energy play?
In Theology what do they mean by mankind’s Salvation
Or can you describe what Darwin meant by Evolution

Who can explain about Quantum Mechanics?
Whose recondite concepts put us in a panic
Angular Momentum, Magnetic Moment and Spin
Of this abstruse science Uncertainty is a lynchpin

Chemistry is rich in quite obscure mystery
Although it can even be foggy in Medieval History
Who knows the detail of what’s Organic or Analytical
Or were plagues in the Dark Ages equally critical?

For almost all of us the realm of Mathematics
Is a challenge for even those who are quite pragmatic
With simple Arithmetic or Geometry we might even cope
But with Trigonometry and Algebra we quickly lose hope

In philosophy things can really blow your mind
Agonising over Ethics and Metaphysics, ideas of that kind
What did Kant mean by the Categorical Imperative
Or Paul Feyerabend who mused on ideas that are Relative?

Then there’s Art and Dance and classical Sculpture
Orchestral Music, Opera, all part of our culture
Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Realism
Conceptual, Figurative, and even Abstractionism

And so we could go on across the whole realm of knowledge
Subjects and specialisms we would have to acknowledge
Thank goodness for Wiki who comes to our aid
And despite any defects earns our accolade

Ken Fisher

 

Subject to Availability

Subject to Availability

Some things are no longer readily available
And no matter how coveted or desirable
The pandemic introduced restriction
And we must curb unrestrained addiction

‘Subject to availability’ flashes on the screen
As we browse the on-line market scene
No longer be granted instant satisfaction
Disappointment and frustration our reaction

We are obsessed by anticipation
Like Pavlovian dogs yielding salivation
Lured by market sirens so seductive
Any inhibition appears obstructive

For far too long we have come to expect
Our requests no purveyor would reject
So unavailability seems a tame excuse
Our loyal patronage to refuse

But we must learn we have no divine right
To demand that what e’er looms into sight
Might immediately become our manifest possession
No excuse for futile reactive depression

Thus if the object of desire is pro tem unavailable
Or perhaps our aims be totally unachievable
Help us to accept the fact with equanimity
Restore our agitated mind to calm tranquillity

Ken Fisher

 

See also this Poem

T & C’s apply

 

Hands-On Philosophy

Hands-On Philosophy

Is there such a thing as
Hands-on Philosophy
Or is it all too airy fairy
Pie in the sky?

Who can make sense
Of the study of the
Fundamental nature of
Knowledge, reality, and existence?

Well that seems to be
The agenda for the
Aspiring philosopher
Mind blowing!

From deep thinkers of the ancient world
Thales, Pythagoras, Heraclitus
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
Every one had got the bottle!

To search for truth and understanding
Make sense of life
And all there is
St Anselm and God thoughts

And on it goes
The panoply of lofty thinkers
Through the Age of Reason
To modern times

In every decade
Philosophers exercised their minds
In wrestling with logic, free will
Happiness and conflict

But was any of this Hands-on?
No doubt it was brain engaging
But just as faith without works
Is said to be dead

So then philosophy
Without application and action
Is mere abstraction
Comfortable navel-gazing

So what, you might say
Can a thing, an idea, an object
Not simply exist for itself?
Surely that’s philosophy

Hands off!

 

Ken Fisher

 

The Reading of the 5,000

The Reading of the 5,000

The Reading of the 5000

[Written on the day when I reached 5,000 unique
Visitors to my web site – with 20,700 visits]

With a nod to the Biblical Miracle
When 5000 were wondrously fed
The Bard’s ever faithful followers
His verses have willingly read

The fact that so many people
Have adopted a kind attitude
To this faltering novice scribe
Commands eternal gratitude

He is pleased you have taken the time
To explore his poetic expression
Of thoughts about life and living
From boredom perhaps a digression

The topics of poems are quite widespread
And hopefully will speak to your heart
Within the range you surely will find
Some wisdom it yet might impart

And so my friend thank you once more
For being prepared to indulge
As one of those brave 5,000 souls
To whom my poetic thoughts I divulge

Ken Fisher
The Bard of Kelvindale

Photo Album

Photo Album

 

Old photo albums
We miss them in the digital age
Those bulky dossiers
Dark coloured pages
Festooned with corner fixings
Holding our life history
And Large files of plastic folders
Stuffed with printed photos
Sometimes tidy
Often chaotic

And yet it’s all there
Baby Joan’s first tottering step
Tom and Ian cavorting in the paddling pool
“Our home” in the 1950’s
Looking ramshackle
But why did we ever leave?
Grandpa’s birthday
In his chair, a little tipsy
Time for a snooze
Caught him unaware

But times move on
Snapping no longer limited to
A Kodak or Ilford spool
Of 24 or 36
And then the glories of colour!
Almost dazzling
But you still had to wait
Until your creations
Returned from the processor
Unless you had your own darkroom

Now all this restriction and mystery is gone
Infinite snapping, instant results
Cameras now high-powered computers
Phones not just for your ears but for your eyes
Abundant selfies for the self-obsessed
But where are the photo albums of today?
Not in the book but in the cloud
More images than ever for the world to see
No paper corners to hold our prints
Our images released to all the world

Ken Fisher

Knight Errant

Knight Errant

[Knight Errant – a medieval knight wandering
In search of chivalrous adventures]

Glaswegians will quickly recognise
This knight acting oh so wise
Head festooned with traffic cone
With face mask, he’s not now alone

Hope he might be quick to scare away
The major threat of this our day
Get coronavirus on the run
This looming threat is no real fun

To the rescue comes our knight
Push this beastie out of sight
You can conquer in such style
That once again Glasgow can smile

Ken Fisher

[with gratitude to the designer of
the additions to the statue of
the Duke of Wellington]

Obscurity Masquerading as Profundity

Obscurity Masquerading as Profundity

At the risk of appearing to be a philistine,
A man ignorant of the difference between
High culture and tasteless vulgarity
I venture to suggest that sometimes
The advocates of refinement in the arts
Might seek to present their case
Enshrined in obscurity masquerading as profundity

Have you ever sat through a classical concert?
Where the cacophony of sound
Became an assault to your ears?
But you nodded enthusiastic agreement
When asked to acknowledge your appreciation
Or, in attending a new exhibition of sculpture
Muffle your laughter at the ludicrous display

Similarly the ballet, although demonstrating
Physical virtuosity, and artistic finesse
Might tax our imagination as to what
We are meant to decipher from the
Intricacies of movement
And nuances of shape and form
Presented for our delectation?

And so I could go on
Paintings selling at million dollar
Price tags. Wrestled over by the mega rich?
Such works would be a credit to any playgroup!
And finally, what about some arcane poetry?
Utterly impenetrable, fundamentally meaningless
But here you are bound to say – what does he know?

Don’t  his verses also come from the nursery?

Ken Fisher