Category Archives: Contemporary Issues

Poems about issues of the present day

Tick Tock

Tick Tock

 

Clock hands like scalpels dissecting the hours of the day
Separating one moment from another – no two quite the same
The inexorable motion ever forwards, ever onwards
Creating the past in neat segments as they begin to age

The ratio of speed between these hands remaining constant
The one more like a heartbeat’s steady throb
The other trudges with measured plodding steps
Together the record kept of each passing minute, hour and day

Tick tock, alliterative sound to punctuate the silence
Calmly marking off the day’s progression
Placid, undisturbed amidst the peace
Or maelstrom of our lived experience

Life not dependent on the movement of the clock
But both bound up in some mystical synchronization
And as the spring within our clock slowly unwinds
The body’s cogs and levers echo that inevitable slow decline

Ken Fisher

Happiness [International Day of Happiness 20 March 2017]

Happiness [International Day of Happiness 2017]

(This poem is similar one I posted last year for the same event)

In this mortal life we spend much time in seeking satisfaction
Chasing things we hope will bring much happiness and joy
And many a time these efforts bring no positive reaction
No bliss nor gain do we discern for all efforts we employ

In recent times the need for all to experience this felicity
Has come to be the battle cry of those who claim what’s best
And thus this need for untold joy’s been given much publicity
A new nostrum to lift our hearts and ensure that we are blessed

Politicians have on this matter long before pronounced
Jefferson in drawing up the US Constitution
Made clear to one and all when it was first announced
“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” their chosen resolution

The New World pioneers held not the slightest doubt
That it was man’s clear and inalienable right
At the heart of all we do, all that we are about
To Live life, be Free, seek Happiness with all your might

In modern times our rulers revisit that great vision
The government claims it’s time again our wellbeing to measure
To calibrate our state of joy once more becomes our mission
And in due time we’ll have to gauge our sadness and our pleasure

To count and measure the nation’s joy is said not to be woolly
But to grasp it all may stretch demands on any Excel spreadsheet
If each and every factor be identified quite fully
The recording and analyzing, a highly complex feat

But can the concept of happiness be something quite objective?
My views on what to me brings joy or lasting peace
Are victims of emotions often quite subjective
For you my choice prove no great gain, from any fear, release

The Bible, on happiness quite often does declare
Ecclesiastes says – to be happy, no better aim can be
To build a world where life is truth, and acts are just and fair
Should on the lips of worshippers be their own earnest plea

But the Good Book says of happiness for its dear sake alone
The Christian life demands we seek the good of every other
The nobler path to which we’re called, that we must try to take
Shows peace we gain, when life is lived in service to our brother

But perhaps all this for you and me, a little too high-minded
Too vague an aim, such lofty thoughts, perhaps too altruistic
Our vision of happiness too bright and thus our eyes are blinded
Our keen pursuit needs grounding in plans more realistic

Perchance like me you may find that in order to pursue
The prospect of a worthy life, but not too hedonistic
For a life which cares for self but gives others too their due
We need a plan, not lofty thoughts, but much more realistic

Thus it may seem the media hype broadcast of latter days
Happiness an Agenda and call to Action
For each of us prove gainful and some dividend might pay
As step-by-step each one of us decides our own reaction

By daily acts of kindliness and personal good deeds
By loving thought, supportive words, and little acts of grace
We might promote goodwill as we note others’ needs
Each friendly word, each happy smile, radiating from our face

For Buddha the path to happiness is found in understanding
Of suffering whose root causes may be longstanding
And through daily practice of mindful thought and action
Our living may bring much greater satisfaction

Now perhaps none of this will answer, give adequate reply
To those whose quest for happiness seeks answers universal
But this gentle, kind approach I hope you won’t deny
Might from our gloom, our fear, our woe, initiate reversal

Ken Fisher

What’s on Your Mind?

What’s on Your Mind?

                        Images of the Human Brain

Have you ever been asked what’s on your mind?
What thoughts, ideas or dreams therein confined
Who would believe this odd wrinkled brain tissue
For science and philosophy a controversial issue

There is debate on the notion of mind and soul
Are they separate things or just one complete whole?
The mind is our faculty for thinking and knowledge
The soul where the spirit perhaps may be lodged

The mind gives us power to act and remember
The soul helps our wild emotions to temper
Some would dispute that the soul does exist
But belief in the mind we cannot resist

So when we are asked what’s on our mind?
We expect a response of a certain kind
At this present moment what thoughts do we hold
Of what brilliant ideas as yet untold

Throughout our life thoughts throb in our head
Begun before birth, to end when we are dead
Much asked of the mind with alchemy obscure
And we are blessed it has such power to endure

So be thankful for your mind and for its health
Source of such pleasure and of great wealth
And if you cannot ensure it stays always pure
At least with the years may it grow more mature

As for the soul, altogether less clear
Custodian of eternal hopes and fear
Yet surely we are more than merely thoughts
The enduring value of all e’r we wrought

Ken Fisher

Accidents Will Happen in the Best Regulated Families

Accidents Will Happen in the Best Regulated Families

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The expression ‘Accidents will happen in the best regulated families’
Is an interesting one and something that brings comfort to many
Because it shows that even in a perfectly ordered world the unfortunate
Incident or state of affairs can arise. Not only to the embarrassment
of the principal players but also providing a demonstration of their
vulnerability. Even of those whose reputation seems invincible

Of course, if we are being completely honest, we would admit
To some schadenfreude at the misfortune of other people
It brings us a sense of relief that we have not suffered their
misfortune. Or perhaps our own weaknesses have not been detected
And then other peoples’ problems provide much material for gossip
And analysis of how this might happen in what we thought was utopia

Perhaps a more positive outcome of these catastrophes is that
We will realise that no-one’s world is completely perfect
The prospect of falling from grace is ever present due to
Human failure or misjudgment – to say nothing of natural disaster
And we can rejoice that we are all made of the same stuff of humanity
And that we should cultivate tolerance, understanding and forgiveness

But can you really resist just a sneaky little gloat sometimes?

Ken Fisher

See also:

https://thebardofkelvindale.com/2015/10/21/schadenfreude/

 

 

 

Exercise

Exercise

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You have no doubt heard lots about exercise
To heed that advice is certainly wise
To keep our bodies ever on the move
Is something we should learn to love

‘Cause the experts tell us that physical activity
Is far better for us than mere passivity
So make sure you keep swinging those arms and legs
And don’t simply languish in your comfy bed

Our muscles come in all shapes and sizes
To keep stretching them the physio advises
If they are not used on a regular basis
We might encounter some bodily crisis

Similarly the joints that link up the bones
Might grind to a halt for reasons unknown
So the best advice for the human frame
Is constant movement to avoid getting lame

Exercise can improve all sorts of diseases
Heart problems, the liver, and type 2 diabetes
It is even claimed that it’s good for the brain
So get out of doors and ignore any rain

Avoid sitting on your couch or the life sedentary
Make going outside your routine customary
And if you can accept this discipline severe
You’ll be the healthiest old codger in that bath-chair!

Ken Fisher

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Political Correctness

Political Correctness (PC)

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In the past it was simply considered good manners
But now there seems a much higher standard
For things that we say or words that we write
The risk of offending has become infinite

We have to reflect on the language we use
And avoid using terms whose meaning is loose
And above all we must never discriminate
By adopting a term which others berate

Thus mankind is replaced by humanity
Never appealing to mens’ vanity
Workmen joined by their women equivalent
So the term workforce is much less ambivalent

The killer whale is the orca, a much kinder term
Spring Spheres replace Easter Eggs we confirm
And Christmas foliage becomes the holiday tree
So that from religion we might all be kept free

PC is not just restricted to the use of words
Some other changes you may think absurd
So to make Dennis a little less of a Menace
A softening makeover so as not to offend us

Punch and Judy, a staple of the British seaside
No more inappropriate hitting or woe betide
Brainstorming must now be described as thought showers
Such revisions took the PC inspectors many hours

A major concern of the PC advocates
Two concepts which they often like to conflate
Equality and diversity they seek to promote
Only such policies deserving our vote

One school plans to make its toilets unisex
So that any LGBT pupils will n’er be preplexed
Thus avoiding any possible crisis of identity
Binary division removed quite acceptably

So the whole agenda of political correctness
By many new measures designed to direct us
Ensuring that nothing will ever divide or offend
Perhaps a new tyranny that seems without end

Ken Fisher

 

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship

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Today is Budget Day and it is interesting to note
a new emphasis on Apprenticeships.  An old idea
being given new clothes 

The image in this picture represents great distortion
Of what apprenticeship today is really all about
Their TV show antics seem out of all proportion
The normal rules of business they prefer to flout

Of course there is little doubt it brings us entertainment
But do the images they create show us much of business?
Surely apprenticeship involving good work placement
Should let us experience a working life in all its richness

In latter years many young people have shunned apprenticeship
So off they went in droves, hoping to become a graduate
Believing that the University would them for life equip
But in the end wealth and success proved not their future fate

So recently there has been greater realization
That practical training rather than lofty theory
Might better serve the young denizens of our nation
Than book learning of which they become weary

Getting your hands dirty in workshop or in laboratory
Might then prove for many a much wiser bet
Adding steadily to a growing skills inventory
And incidentally avoiding piles of student debt

In the old days apprentices into journey-men became
And now-a-days these trainees can show similar success
The system of advancement is now much less arcane
As in the modern day labour market they smoothly can progress

So to Lord Sugar we must offer due deference
He and his team of two have kept us all amused
But the real life apprenticeship is our own preference
And between the two we are surely not confused

Ken Fisher

 

Fly in the Ointment

Fly in the Ointment

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Ecclesiastes 10.1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour,
so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour

 Do we stop to think when tempted to sin?
A little peccadillo or something akin
To cut the corner, giving less than our best
I am sure that no one would ever have guessed

So that the face that we show to the credulous world
Is not quite so upright, but slightly impaired
‘Cause we are not just as honest as you may well think
In our shiny armour there is that little chink

Somehow a fly has sneaked into the ointment
And the facts are not quite as we would present
In our past life there’s a secret we continue to hide
A fact of which we in no way take pride

So we hope that if this flaw you were to discover
You will accept that o’er time we have tried to recover
And by honest hard work our reputation rebuild
That nasty fly in the ointment now hopefully killed

There is one final point I think we should make
And I hope this won’t cause you any heartache
To wipe the slate clean we must each other forgive
That in true harmony we all then may live

Ken Fisher

Eyeball to Eyeball

Eyeball to Eyeball

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Eyeball to eyeball appears to be the common stance
Of TV interviewers and their victims – the politicians
The media moguls seem to think that MPs are fair game
For their verbal assaults and skirmishes

I am not sure who is determined to demonstrate
to greater effect. To grandstand their superiority
In debate, or at least in point-scoring
In inflicting wounds and uncovering vulnerability

Of course politicians are often the masters of the silver tongue
Their weasel words crafted to evade embarrassing questions
At all costs they must not be seen as a boxer on the ropes
So they return the punches with equivocation and obfuscation

One of the popular weapons in these wars of words
Is the use of the impenetrable realm of statistics
Thus by digital prestidigitation they produce from the hat
Numerical evidence to justify or countermand any ‘fact’

So it seems to me that many TV and radio interviews
Have become the arena for the clash of aspiring titans
Journalists exercising their customary power without responsibility
And politicians defending their power while evading responsibility

And one wonders if these eyeball to eyeball spectaculars
Only serve the vanity of the protagonists

Ken Fisher

 

The Elephant in the Room

The Elephant in the Room

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An elephant seems to have entered our room
Surely someone will say something soon
Because its presence is so clearly obvious
Yet apparently ignored by the entire audience

Despite the fact of its enormous frame
Everyone agrees to play the game
Of pretending this tusker does not exist
So speaking of which they firmly resist

The risk of its presence they simply ignore
A course of action they all should deplore
Because this mighty behemoth won’t go away
A solution is needed most speedily

Of course the elephant is simply a metaphor
For a problem we must find a solution for
Like the King’s New Clothes concealing a lie
The elephant too would the truth deny

So let our profession be honest and true
Not sending that giant back to the zoo
And candour can once again resume
When we accept the elephant is in the room!

Ken Fisher

 

 

What About the Workers?

What About the Workers?

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There is much talk in the media at this present time
About the future of work which may be in decline
For the robots are coming to take every job
And thus from the people their income to rob

Started long ago with machines on the farm
Agricultural labourers indeed felt the harm
Then the cottage industries soon disappeared
As new textile machinery got into gear

But then came lots of jobs in the world of commerce
A white-collar career seemed to offer great promise
Armies of typists and clerks neatly attired
Could occupy desks until they retired

In due course the factories became automated
Old fashioned methods soon were outdated
The workers had to keep pace with machines
Under controllers at shiny computer screens

As systems evolved in the world of business
Unremitting change with no forgiveness
Artificial intelligence now to-day’s greatest threat
As thinking machines the workers beset

So clerks and typists and check-out operators
Are all under threat by the perpetrators
Of autonomous devices needing no human hands
So how might the workers this onslaught withstand?

The world of the call centre is another workplace
Where humans may no doubt soon be replaced
With robots programmed to handle our needs
Without delay at remarkable speed

And the press is full of stories of cars
Who will drive themselves however far
So taxis and vans with armies of drivers
With redundancy there won’t be any survivors

Because make no mistake this robotic invasion
Even of professional work will see infiltration
So that Doctors’ diagnoses and lawyers’ advice
Replaced by software at reasonable price

Even accountants who make a comfortable living
Charging fancy fees without any misgiving
May find the deep mysteries of their craft
Undertaken by robots instead of their staff

So how are we going to earn our daily corn
With no work to do won’t we be all forlorn?
With no wage coming in, how will we survive
For it’s surely money that helps keep us alive?

Well perhaps in due time we’ll find paradise
If some generous government being oh so wise
Lets the robots do all the work that there is to do
And we get the income which was our wage hitherto

In such a perfect world at ease we could rest
With no daily toil we would be free of all stress
The robots will serve and never complain
And we the ex-workers can take all the gain!

Ken Fisher

By way of evidence for the above tirade here are just two
quotations from the Business Section of the Daily Telegraph
on 27 February 2017:

‘Robot lined up to handle O2 enquiries’
‘The car giant FORD has teamed up with an artificial 
intelligence company to work on new generations of
driverless cars’

From the Sunday Times 26 Feb 2017:
Aviva Insurance has asked its 16,000 staff: 
could a robot do your job?  If so the company 
will retrain employees for new roles.

And this more ominous headline from the US:

‘Why the United Nations must  move forward with a killer 
robots ban  – If we don’t get a ban in place there will be
an artificial intelligence arms race’

 

 

The Man on the Clapham Omnibus

The Man on the Clapham Omnibus
[the legal stereotype of the ordinary man]

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The ordinary man is considered to be
The usual chap that you would often see
This kind of guy rarely makes any fuss
Meet him every day on the Clapham bus

This man is beloved of the powers-that-be
The regular guy known to you and me
Ripe for conscription or the labour market
He is the man those in charge want to target

Sometimes accused of lacking ambition
And not all his qualities gain recognition
But this everyday man has achieved prominence
When cited in court by a judge eminent

In deciding a case of alleged negligence
Both the prosecution and the defence
Were asked to consider how this oh-so-reasonable chap
May be thinking beneath his everyday cap

So thus in our legal system it became a convention
That to this man’s concerns we should pay attention
Thus determining the view of the man in the crowd
Sets a standard of which we should really be proud

Because it means that it’s not only expert opinion
That forms the ratio of any decision
But the obiter dicta  from the ordinary man’s view
Ensures the judgement can’t be misconstrued

Ken Fisher

Ratio decidendi : the rationale for the decision
Obiter dictum :    other words or guidelines in judge’s expression of opinion

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This is more like the Clapham Omnibus in the
original court case according to a Law Report of 1903