I am now Banned Poet I used the "incorrect" word Planetesium to describe an Orrey !!

 

 I noticed that my  bookshop poem  Bookshop in Writewood  has    responses concerning my  description of an Orrey   but  unfortunately more  wiseacre  critics   than  readers

 "  It made  wonder what you  was writing about, is it a real bookshop, where is it  " and a more  incessant  comment  "You called an Orrey a "Planetesium,   You are making up incorrect  Astronomy terms!  the correct word is  Planetarium ??!!"

 

    -Since when has an Orrey been a Planetarium.  I thought it was a teaching aid  clockwork  toy  named after  the populariser  The Earl of Orrey .

The Orrey  could just have easily been  popularised by the  Grand Graf  of  Westernberger  Blonken  Sonderdonden Clattersberg

 

  Planetesium is  poetic symbolic   of scale  planetessimal  not  pedantic  phrasology.

 

 

Proving that no one actually reads my poems   one of my widely published and read  poems   on  at least two forums  and on this blog  is  Dauntless Dick Dark Dee  Dee  the  romantic  poem about the highwayman  romance   (which is one of my  June posts here on writingbitofpoetry )

 Dauntless Dick  Dark Dee Dee has been banned on one poetry  site and  my  poem  deactivated for that sole reason

 that it is a poem about Dick !!Turpin !

yes D---K  Turpin  Highwayman  and the D---K word came up on  the publishing sites  filter software

 doubtful   the publisher  ever even read the poem  as  it has no illicit content.

this is their email to me   as it appears read  via  my filter software

 

"Your poem  contains the following types of content, or has violated the rules of posting  and it is removed from the site.

The reason of removal was;

 

1) P******gr*phy and S*****ually Expl*cit Cont*nt

2) s*****ual Sol*****ion/Cybers******

Our administration reserve the right to remove any material deemed to be excessively offensive, hostile, or destructive"

 

I just altered D---K to Dark   and reposted  

 

Four job applications  going nowhere   even in adult education for job roles I  once performed   to the exact criteria needed  on the form  but nothing  in response  

one interview   where the  interview panel  waited three  days  in tell me I was unsuccessful  but  had some  experience as  trainer  but not in the job role of development worker

 

Two weeks  after closing date  have passed  for the other jobs  and within  two  weeks after the closing date the  interviews were held  -so  hard  luck on my  part   that is the hard thing  about redundancy  you  work solidly  for years  and  years   and then  you are made redundant   to   find that  jobs even with all  years experience in your favour  never  materialise 

 

 looks  like a former  teacher of employability  skills  and ICT will end up long term unemployed

perhaps  I should  teach creative writing  and   fortune telling  instead

 

 

The  UK chancellor has a brilliant  idea supported by the loud press  to name every benefit claimant  on  an online  list  so  people can  see it their neighbours are claiming and for  how long !!

suppose I will be registered  under R  for  reason  for leaving employment  =Redundancy 

likewise will there  be a list of every bribe  and back hander  politicians receive  ?

 

oddly enough all these interview setbacks  do not trouble me  as I know  I will get back into the Education racket  but every interview setback creates  self doubt   that  only ever affects  my poetry writing  for about a day afterwards

 

Pity it was a more  fruitful  time for poetry writing  than job  applications  

 

broken steady state orrey snd using an automaton to commit suicide with in the eighteenth century

 I am   writing an average of  three poems a week some short and around   one image others the longer story poems

such as the tale of the early era  Christian bishop pining for his   pre conversion  ecstatic pagan youth , Robin hood appearing as  a  violent  and brutal  robber  but  romancing about the  medieval world

my longest to date  at 108 lines  is  a poem about  automatons  and court toys   Eighteenth century faux

  It is really two horror stories

Little Shakespeare

 A grim  18th  century tale about a  scientist  who creates  an automaton  based on his dead  child  then uses the automaton to commit suicide with

Exhibited to" my fat Duchess"  little Shakespeare   writes  out ironic  anthems to monarchy  which none of the  Ancien Regime  dignitaries    recognise  as such - 

"we are charmed

hymn to   the widowhood of  our first  king George

ode to the birth of   true destined  Archduchess  Maria Antonia"

George I  kept his  adulterous wife imprisoned  for over 40 years   and the true destiny  of Marie  -Antoinette  is  well known  

thought of   "Tsar  Ivan  released all prisoners"  but the  hint to irony  in   the story of young  Ivan  VI of  Russia  killed by his gaolers   after  a lifetime of imprisonment  less  effective  and would detract from the little Shakespeare

before ending

"Adam   returned from  dead

Father  asks   "what does  a  child write  from the grave?"

this machine  with purpose  for this  natural  philosopher  alone

pen is motion   is replaced by slotted  knife , straight forward  razor

 one page was drawn

things lost in the fire"

The sad story of Koppucine

 The most glamourous and beautiful  exotic  erotic  silver painted  nude   automaton  dancer doll  who drops dead   during a fan dance  and is revealed  to be  a   woman  hired to liven up the dull exhibition of  automata  killed by the poison  paint  of her  machine  dancer  act  being  cheaper phosphor lead

Unclaimed  the dead  dancer is given to the anatomists  and  her skin  is eventually turned  into a  revolutionary drum

I always liked automatons and the 18th century was their first machine age   yet  they have always been part of society  Hero's  steam  engine   and  temple  doors  opening by themselves  to  medieval Androids and  Golems

by the  eighteenth  century   the automata had mellowed  to the level  of

 eating and excreting  Ducks , human operated Chess playing Turks , little writers  who cog up and down  and   musicians all of mechanisms.

Although I admit the only  automatons  I  could  find in my childhood were  old    Victorian   to 1920s automata of small figure  tableaux  penny operated  gallows execution,  clockwork dungeon  racks  and the thrill of  closing and opening iron maidens   mummy curse tombs, cycles of hell with the kruger and  kaiser  figure  repainted as  fuhrer    that  played for a  £ s d penny in one North Wales arcade

 These however were superseded by    seaside arcade space shot  electrics and   helicopter candy  pickers    in 1971   when decimalisation arrived in the   UK  

some work in progress  has  I have little else to do   at least  four job applications and one job interview.  

 one incomplete poem about   musing in an old style  antiquarian  book shop over bible    buddha and Orrey  that has" lost its  Coperny  sun"

 three lines  that came all  at once  of the  long  thought of  but never actually written out  poem "Elen of the Hosts " based on the Welsh  legend  of te dream of Maxen Wledig  that may stick at  those three lines

never   did   get around to  building the Hawaiian compass    despite  free time 

Secrets to shake the monarchy The Bisley Boy and the Mar Changeling

Elizabeth Ginger

Welsh  Gloriana

England's  Man

Shakespeare's  Mother

"Miss Elizabeth Bullen-Tudor"   Mark Littler  2013

Noted  that  The Tudor rush continues      with a new archaeological conspiracy  thriller  on the market " The kings  Deception" by   the American tourist  Steve Berry 

based around the  nineteenth century vicarage  urban legend  of the Bisley Boy

 The Bisley Boy legend   is no more real than  other  clergyman legends such as  Lucy Lightfoot or the Radcliffe wharf ghost.

 The Bisley boy  stems from  the "finding" of a grave  at Bisley Hall  containing the  richly  dressed skeleton of a child

By coincidence  Princess Elizabeth  Tudor had stayed there   recovering from illness   and must have (the  secrets out) died  the morning of a visit from her father   Henry VIII --always eating  and cutting off heads  himself .

Quick thinking   by terrified  courtiers    found the solution   dress up someone  of the same age  and looks as the dead princess 

 A child was found a boy  with red hair   and  the courtiers were saved    so successful a deception that   the Bisley Boy  carried on being Elizabeth until 1603  with the  courtiers from that day  at  Bisley  close to the throne

 hardly a secret to shake the monarchy .

Another lesser known   royal secret of the Sixteenth century, less interesting is that is it is Scottish History   is  that of the Mar Changeling

 Based on the   1830 discovery of a  coffin  buried between the walls  of Holyrood Palace  containing a  richly wrapped  skeleton of an infant bearing the letter  J  on his silk  gown  the tale urban as it was  spread this was   the  body of the real  James Stuart   heir to Mary Queen of Scots     who was isolated  with illness  not long after birth,  died and  was  exchanged  for the healthy  baby  of his wet nurse  this story was popularised to support the eccentric claimsof king Anthony Hall 

 James  the Sixth   was supposed to have grown up  as a lonely  parentless only child doubting his legitimacy   and here is the irony 

 The  Virgin ueen  Elizabeth  who was really a man  impersonating a long dead Princess  was   succeeded  by  the king of Scotland    who was really  a  changeling  for  the  deceased   Stuart infant

The tale was  depicted  in Numerous  Victorian Gothic  paintings   and  reproduced in  black and white in many 1920s  school rooms    and Odhams press  type  text books  Queen Elizabeth and  King James  meet  in Whitehall  Palace  each winking at the other  with a knowingly smile,  aware of each others secret

well the  truth is   James  V1 was  your typical   obnoxious  Stuart   and Elizabeth I  was Boleyn's  Daughter    both descended from  Henry  VII

Dauntless Dick Dark Dee Dee

Spread your skirts  Bessie 
here is Captain  Nice  the  Bandy  Dandy Randy Highwayman
land bored apples  from his  streaming  course
He is  nice, dangerous to be bad
new fashioned
between the times

Shouts  slap  a kimbo
Dauntless  Dick defiance at Red Coats  in lights out
master stallion a two, a way, a swift
over boxed in  parking
For those in peril
he is the man
Sixteen Strings
laced rough to  the corners of his kicky cocky  hat

His gun is water
His  horse is lame

flash colours
dapple down rump
paired  with washables
in app slogans of how he hates  war  and hates the west
"Dauntless Dick Dark Dee Dee"  Mark Littler 2013

Alternative History Saxon Victory in 1066

 

 

Following the defeat and death  of the sore contentor William of Normandy  at Senlac  in October 1066  the history of what if England  changed  utterly

Although Harold II    had many years of conflict  on the Welsh Borders the house of Godwin   had established itself in power   by 1069

As his second wife  Harold II   married    Margaret  daughter of Eadward    and thus  legitimatised the  house  of Godwin with that of old  Wessex  to rule  for ten generations.

 

Anglo Saxon England   became a  Scandinavian oriented and cultured country   often at peace and war  with Scotland,  Denmark and Norway   but with the exception of a few raids  from these enemies in border  areas   England was at  peace with a small   volunteer army of infantry    and castle  free

 

An independent  Scandinavian facing  England  saw the growth of  an independent and allied  Celtic   language United  Scotland,  a  dedicated and strong kingdom of Clywd   by 1150   and   Ireland's  four  kingdoms   competing on the European stage   for the first time.

 

 

As for the  Normans  minor  De  Hauteville  barons    took advantage of the  post William vacuum   and   reenergised  themselves  in   successful adventures  in Sicily and the Near East. 

Normandy  becoming a  depopulated  minor French vassal inhabited with those as  the chronicler said" too  cowardly to  try their chances  in the South "

 

Although it was only  one of three battles  in that  year of wonders 1066    there are those who  say without the easy  victory  at  Senlac  we would not have  had  great English monarchs  such as  Eadgar the  Fifth  and  Eadgar the  Eighth ,  Queen  Hild , Harold  the Sixth   and  Aetherrad  the Third 

 

 

Regarding  the alternative history  strange idea that England was ruled  by foreign dynasties   since 1066.    well does history matter  in a modern  trans world diverse culture 

Up the republic  and it is true that Will and Kates one day baby   despite the  post coronation anniversary   will   never occupy  the  British Throne but I will be loyal to the  Institution  Crown up to that date  or thereabouts and look forward to more coronations  smart  Screen   online.

 

 

back to poetry  writing  if frustrated with my career  and having unwanted  free time

 I  wrote  four reasonably popular poems  which I enjoyed writing   in a many days   on themes  of Robin Hood  my version, Highwaymen  Romance , Early Christian converts   reluctantly giving up  their fondest Pagan beliefs  then discovering they can smash temples  up   and   a grim  18th  century tale about a  scientist  who creates  an automaton  based on his dead  child  then uses the automaton to commit suicide with. 

Scotland Independent since 1314 but not from 2014

 

  

September 2014  is meant to be the date Scotland  votes to  become independent  and will be a vote  for a prophecy either way

 

I hope for more referendums on  nation status within  the UK and UK EU membership  by 2018  as I believe devolution is the proper way forward  for Europe

 

Scotland is a nation of great history not unlike  Lithuania   and it is the year of Bannockburn

however this referendum could be held in the year of    Nevilles Cross,   Methven Halidon Hill, The Standard  and Solway Moss  and the result would have the same chance of victory

 an Independent Scotland  will like  any other post 2020  nation  find its  future state  more the land of the battle of   Sauchieburn than the land of Bannockburn

 

 

i have noted  that when I was ill years ago  i read a lot of shipwreck and  island novels  when I was recovering  indicative of my ICU condition    and now in what is becoming long unemployment  post  redundancy  I turn to lost  kingdoms and  dead dynasties  blowing my nose  for ducal burgundy   and getting  up each morning according to the prophecies of  Merlin

 

looking back  on history is  a sign of a  failing of  a society for example the  current BBC  TV  obsession with the Tudors in drama and documentary  now with  Gregorys  white queen on TV  opening up   the war of the Clone  Roses  era  Tudors the prequels

 

The Tudors  were the last personality  driven dynasty  with an   indifference to affairs in Europe   the last time  England had  a clean   non colonial past   Tudor England with its  strong economy  and with its wolseys and tom Cromwell   poor lads made good in  power.

.A modern age   between the  medieval kings  in armour  and followed  by the   dithering   Rizzio -Stuarts   and  the  Hanoverians who as you may see appear in portraits  all wearing T shirts  with the slogan  " I'm with Stupid!

 

Scotland inspired   my poems "sule skerry" and "the confession of the North Berwick witches"    

  Scotland should  get  independence as should Wales,  Cornwall and my own Mercia

 

here is to the  21st  century  independence of Scotland and Wales  or do I mean more  realistically   on the old maps   Far North Britain  and  Far West  Britain 

 

Mercia is  just an  Midlands region and Scotland has the best chance of nationhood this century but as I have mentioned before  in   2012 post flag of nowhere in America   nations  will cease  to exist by the end of the century  as they are no longer needed  

 a new age but cross  a fire  to get there

 

 

much of my poetry remains pencil notes  

  quickly disposed of  45  pencil note poems unpublished  since  October 2012   lost to the ages  ha ha  and farewell  to  my various versions of zennor wedding ,complicated  poems about twist physics  and time travel, the poem about Leonardo da Vinci  whitening boards   and asking anyone passing had they seen  a monster  and others  too twee  to name

 

salters  ghost  as on previous post among my most popular poems to date

had noted on some forums quite by  chance of posting i was  uploading   (one after the other even thought they were written months apart )sea theme poems   about whales , sea ghosts and mermaids  and started  getting reputation of "a sea poet  albeit a good one " and me living miles inland   

just writing what comes into my head   try to get off  themes of  rewrite  history,  fantasy and fish  poems   but no matter what all in the same  basic complex  style

 

 

my  voluntary work   soon ended as  i was told too highly skilled  for them to  use as volunteer  and the existing trainer being near  retirement age  and only doing health and safety  manual handling  training   nothing funding wise for   employability  or IT

"Thank you for recent interest in volunteering with us as a Tutor.

After a few meetings we have agreed that the subjects we are developing at the moment don't correspond with your subjects"

 

noted  that  at least two of the existing  community learning IT  centres still using windows xp  so  my skills  in teaching windows 8  not needed

 why did I spend 18 years  teaching and learning about IT   to get to this state

 

 

frustrated at this even though know this stagnation will end

 

 despite  how nice it may seem   to those lucky to still be on the 9-5 do not like sitting at home spending my  long days  reading and writing  poetry

 

 got to the point thinking  I will never work again

even my  annual subscriptions  to  my professional  body and  alumni associations  look like  needless expense