Category Archives: Philosophy, Politics and Religion

Poems whose theme relates to politics, philosophy or religion

Wheesht!

Wheesht!

Wheesht! A Scottish injunction urging silence
Wheesht! Sometimes colloquially expressed
As Haud yer Wheesht or hold your tongue!
It’s a verb, a noun, an interjection

How often have we wished that somebody
Would Wheest for a while?
The irritable baby
The whingeing toddler
The hectoring politician
The ranting preacher
The boring lecturer
The nagging wife
The bombastic father
The orgasmic cries of the sports commentator
The loud expressiveness of the over zealous actor

And it’s not only voices we wish would Wheesht
What about?
The thunderous traffic on a main highway
The cacophony of an orchestra wrestling with modern music
The defiant shriek of the flute bands of the Orange Walk
The throbbing of motor bikes at a veteran’s rally
The alarming siren sound of the ambulances and fire engines

But perhaps sometimes we would prefer the opposite
It’s not Wheesht we want it’s welcome sound of any kind
Like
The first words of an infant
The response of a person awakening from a coma
The “I do” at the altar on the Wedding Day
The let me help you – of a loving friend
The good news from a consultant after you MRI scan
The phone call to say – You’ve got the job!

Wheesht when you should but not for ever

Ken Fisher

Does God Mess Up?

Does God Mess Up?

Some would say it’s sacrilege
Others claim poetic privilege
When a songwriter’s lyrics give us a heads up
By asking if even God can mess up?

But if God’s in control of all that happens
In this universe with all its billions of atoms
Then if things have gone wrong who takes the blame
I wonder whose head should hang down in shame?

Is it unfair to blame the Lord of creation
For every ill besetting the nations?
We were taught He is both God and Man
Perhaps like us humans, does the best that He can

But when we cast our wide eyes around
So many situations that do confound
Warfare, disease, disaster unchecked
Surely the mind of God is perplexed

Yet we are told, in Him put your trust
Unflinching belief is really a Must
There is little room for prevarication
True faith demands unswerving conviction

Wouldn’t it be great if the world was just perfect?
All sweetness and light with never a defect
But since the Garden of Eden when things went awry
Perhaps our good God looks on with a sigh

So where are we now, if it’s not too late?
For God and mankind to co-operate
Neither side messing up in this joint endeavour
Human and divine travailling together

Ken Fisher

Deck Chairs on the Titanic

Deck Chairs on the Titanic

What can we say to all those doom-mongers
Who keep warning us of impending disaster?

Every significant issue has become an Existential Threat

Let’s list a few:

[many of these seem more menacing than the
4 minute warning which hung over us at
the height of the Cold War in the ‘60s]

A mounting sense of global panic
Of threats which now seem catastrophic
Without doubt Covid’s still out there
And cyber scams seem so unfair
These arise as if by stealth
Draining us of hard earned wealth

What will we do when mineral resources are exhausted?
Our underground banks will then be busted
As water levels rise we’re inundated
Islanders’ future so ill-fated
Greenhouse gases perpetual warning
Of planet earth’s continuing warming

Some even suggest that Artificial Intelligence
Demands that mankind exert due diligence
Digital devices might soon out-smart us all
From supremacy we would fall
Machines henceforth would take control
For human power the bell will toll

From cosmic risks from outer space
Political turmoil between each race
Financial melt-down, hyper inflation
Discontent fomenting angst within a nation
Bioterrorism brings mass destruction
Disorder halting food production

How does this relate to the Titanic chairs?
Such tinkering amidst awesome affairs
What’s the point of mortal action
Yielding such futile reaction
But shifting chairs may signal hope
The human spirit may yet cope

Ken Fisher

The Tyranny of Positivity

The Tyranny of Positivity

When you feel down, your spirits low
Friends say forget that negativity
A smiling face you need to show
The way of positivity

It matters not what be the cause
Of your deep dark emotion
Dolefulness gains no applause
Forget that wrongful notion

They rarely think what be the hurt
That prompts the heart’s malaise
The issues that so disconcert
Our peace of mind can faze

The world expects a smiling face
Keep calm and carry on!
Positivity you must embrace
No matter what’s foregone

Even when our heart is sinking
Midst angst and endless fear
That power in positive thinking
Will wipe away your tears

So positivity exerts its force tyrannical
The fragile soul yet insensible
Of such strictures puritanical
All weakness reprehensible

Let’s all learn a little toleration
Of those thus stigmatised
That for lack of affirmation
They no longer be chastised

Ken Fisher

Mountebank

Mountebank

Mountebank is an old-fashioned description
Of a person we might view with some suspicion
Someone to whom the truth is a stranger
Disregarding whoever they might endanger

Yet some mountebanks receive our affection
Despite evident flaws and clear imperfection
In fact it seems their shortcomings and chinks in the armour
Enhance their charisma adding even more glamour!

And now you might ask who these mountebanks are?
I suggest you don’t need to cast your thoughts far
Certain politicians of cabinet rank
Well known for failing to always be frank

Without doubt politics requires the skills of a clown
Able to climb back up when you’ve been knocked down
Political debate filled with confrontation
Every exchange can become altercation

The mountebank is more than a simple buffoon
Whose behaviour will change any time soon
Their jocular manner, bright disposition
Means they achieve wide recognition

Mountebanks exist in other professions
Those holding high office in different vocations
CEO’s, judges, medics, architects, all expert contractors
Many seem to have been trained as comic actors!

So perhaps the mountebank should not be derided
Their eccentric personality not seen as lop-sided
There is no doubt virtue among all the vice
And a little clowning surely adds spice!

Ken Fisher

 

In Real Life

In Real Life

 

In Real Life
I wonder if there is
Any other kind of life?

I read the expression
ILR  ‘In Real Life’
Comparing office life
With WFH
(Working From Home)

Some workers seem to feel
Apprehensive about returning to real life
Will we remember how to interact
With others not framed by a tiny screen?

But apart from Zoom and Teams etc
I wonder how we might be
Living in a manner which is
Not real life

Perhaps our imaginings and dreams
Are not real life
Can we escape real life
To hide in fantasy?

Humans can have a life of the mind
Animals, only to a limited extent
I guess they are trapped in real life
We can enjoy or endure the unreal life

Many say this is the only life we have
That is the real one, the here and now

But surely the life of ideas
Embracing our hopes and fears
Our plans and strategies
Our beliefs and aspirations

Brings both joy and sorrow

A much richer journey

Let’s not Get Real too quickly!

Ken Fisher

 

Fiat Lux

Fiat Lux

[This poem is not about a small top-of-the-range
Italian mini car!]

Let There Be Light

Let there be light was God’s command
Ordained by His almighty hand
In those primordial days He spoke
Within creation’s masterstroke

And ever since the need for light
To bless humanity with sight
Was recognised by all mankind
Illuminating heart and mind

Light to shed on darkest mystery
Understanding gained through history
Of whom we are, how to survive
Sustaining life that we might thrive

From simple crafts and artifacts
Technology embracing facts
Enlightenment shed on our way
Progress the watchword of the day

In modern times let there be light
Penetrating all that would blight
Abounding threats to our welfare
Preventing freedom everywhere

Thus Fiat Lux become our plea
From tyranny that we be free
World poverty, widespread disease
Compassion’s light might bring release

Let light illumine every soul
Rational thought our minds control
The commonweal our deeds promote
Our attitude inspiring hope

Ken Fisher

Y O L O – You Only Live Once

YOLO  – You Only Live Once

Unless you believe in reincarnation
Perhaps even in resurrection
‘Life in not a rehearsal’ is what they say
So make the best of each new day

But that sounds fine until we reflect
How much of our life we are free to direct
For most  of our time is already prescribed
The pattern of years quite circumscribed

Society constrains the way we behave
Family duties and work readily enslave
Although these commitments may bring us much joy
The concept of freedom they surely destroy

But if Y O L O is true, and even if not
The notion should certainly prompt the thought
How best can we live out this tenure of years
Yielding contentment rather than tears?

Y O L O seems to exclude any afterlife
Perhaps therefore promote love rather than strife
So why not stick with the Golden Rule
Do to others as you would have them do to you

Ken Fisher

 

Do Grasshoppers Have Low Self-Esteem?

Do Grasshoppers Have Low Self-Esteem?

The Queen’s Speech to Parliament has made it quite clear
Some animals have emotions like pleasure and fear
So a new Bill will in due course be brought into law
Could mean a fine if you squash Fido’s paw

Apparently if your pet has a backbone
Its rights as a creature can’t be overthrown
It’s a sentient being, sometimes happy or sad
If we upset him he’s bound to get mad

This set me wondering if I’d come a cropper
If I was cruel to a resident friendly grasshopper
Would his self-esteem be deeply offended
If I swiped at him while quite undefended

This whole notion raises issues philosophical
Even of categories quite hierarchical
Are some creatures deserving of greater respect?
While others we can quite simply neglect

I wonder if all creatures have an opinion
As king of the jungle or just a mere minion
Does a snake have a grand conceit of herself
Or the hamster abandoned on  the pet shop shelf

Birds of the air and fish of the sea
For legal protection they might have a plea
The problem is to know where to draw the line
At the golden eagle or the sharp porcupine

I’m afraid these limits can’t be clearly defined
I’m content to accept that all humankind
Deserve our respect for their self-esteem
But for slugs don’t send us to jail, that’s much too extreme

One final point about the humble grasshopper
Its jumping performance is quite a show-stopper
It can spring to a height many times its own length
You have admit that must take great strength

Ken Fisher

P E S D – Post Election Stress Disorder

PESD – Post Election Stress Disorder

I am feeling a sense of disorientation
After the polls involving our nation
Many may claim they are so satisfied
Others think they have been sorely tried

Perhaps it depends on your expectations
Your fortunes are subject to fluctuations
Will the future bring you a bed of roses?
Or a much less optimistic prognosis

In Scotland the Nats are filled with glee
An all-tartan future is what they see
But Boris will say that’s no way to go
‘Cause many still want the status quo

The Greens everywhere are feeling proud
Planet saving message shouted loud
And Scottish Greens could well succeed
As Nats to their earnest pleas concede

Tories and Labour maintain second best
No wonder they are feeling stressed
Are their glory days now over?
How long before they can recover

In England it seems the former working masses
Prefer to join the middle classes
Labour Party too remote
No Unions to command their vote

A new breed of Mayors now arising
A phenomenon somewhat surprising
Champions of local fiefdoms they might be
Their vassals wait expectantly

So there we have the overview
Some things the same, but many new
Public marvel at this revamped order
Resisting Post Election Stress Disorder

Ken Fisher

Election Fever 2021

Election Fever 2021

On the eve of the election, events at fever pitch
Candidates praying erring doubters will not switch
The party faithful are not the real concern
It’s the floating voters whose support for which they yearn

Some former MSP’s hope for a safe return
New aspirants desire their pleas we will not spurn
Right now everything seems in such disarray
Who knows who’ll emerge victor from this turgid fray?

This time the election has a rather different flavour
For some of us the taste of it we rather would not savour
Those of an Independent mind demanding separation
Others who love their Britishness have a sense of desperation

New parties and new faces appearing on the scene
Bright aspirants and even old ‘has beens’
Candidates don’t seem to be in short supply
Such zealots are certainly not shy

Due to Covid this year it’s a somewhat different poll
The second voting paper looks like a toilet roll
I hope you understand what’s being asked of you
What parties you will espouse, and those you will eschew

Some of us have cast our vote well in advance
Of missing the polling day we would not take a chance
Others, no doubt, will leave it very late
Perhaps this is because they prevaricate

By and large Brexit’s been put to bed
Although the wrangling is certainly not dead
We’ve heard all the latest arguments, we’ve had it up to here
So much exposure, we’re almost reduced to tears

This time Green issues are of great concern
Politicians advocate we take action firm
To counter the march of climate change
Develop painful habits we will find quite strange

It is suggested that many voters will act tactically
Hoping to secure their aim by means impractically
Thus by devious methods achieving what they want
And spike the guns of the candidates that they don’t

The broadcasters too have weighed into the fight
Much of their questioning seems simply spite
They rejoiced in making all their victims squirm
Any weakness shown they loved to reaffirm

Then the Open Forum TV extravaganzas
Were presented like an information bonanza
But as each participant talked across the others
Any clarification of views was thus quickly smothered

Truth and trust seemed to be under examination
Politicians being asked to give their explanation
Each candidate quizzed if they could say why
Truth and trust were now in such short supply!

Anyway, soon it will all be over – thank goodness we say
Tomorrow’s long hours will bring judgement day
So by Saturday we should know the fate of our nation
In the meantime we must wait in anxious consternation

Ken Fisher

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture

What’s for tea?
Do you think it’ll rain
Is the gas bill due
Is the weather the same

Does this shirt need ironed?
Can I borrow your pen
Did you switch off the light
Must I ask you again

Did you fill up with fuel?
Call in at the bank
Remember kids’ sweets
Or did your mind go blank

‘Midst these myriad affairs
Imposing strictures
Obsessed with minutiae
Where’s the bigger picture?

But there is more to life
Than the common task
Of some loftier aim
Perhaps we should ask

Neglecting not
Those who on us depend
Widen our vision
Our talents extend

A bigger picture
Of the purpose of life
Revealed through thoughtful reflection
Takes shape
When we open our heart and mind
A quite different observation

Ken Fisher