Recalcitrant Verse

Readability is straightforward throughout this book, with clear meanings and little metaphoric disguise. Light humour and irony are used in many of the poems, but serious topics are described respectfully. The poems cover a variety of aspects of life, including published news items. There is no particular time progression through the pages, topics being in accordance with the chosen headings. A planner may aim at some future, beneficial result, but life has ways of spoiling plans and generating unexpected results. As Robert Burns put it: 'The best-laid schemes o mice an men aft gang agley.'Human beings are no less fated than the wee mouse, from clever plans going adrift. Many of these poems suggest speculative developments: similar to those generated by the late, humorous raconteur: Gerard Hoffnung. This light and humorous approach does not apply to all the poems: for example those under the heading 'Faith and Belief' are based upon readings from the Christian Bible; some poems in that category had been specifically requested for inclusion in particular Church Services and have also been published in the St James Church, Malden's, newsletters. The final poem, 'A Climate Crisis' is another exception to the light, humorous approach, it gives a serious and factual description of the bushfires that raged in Australia in 2019.