These phrases, from a poem of mine (here) begin to articulate my understanding of what art, and poetry as a kind of art-in-words, does. Among other things, art mediates the distance between the moment and the eternal. Art represents the macrocosm in the microcosm, bursting like Michelangelo's Awakening Slave: a moment out of the stone … Continue reading I make models, ships in bottles…
Author: George Roberts
Slaughter of the scapegoats
After "they" drown or otherwise kill, or deport (to where?) all the scapegoats, I mean refugees - do you fucking seriously think people do what migrants do because it is an easier and pleasanter option? - then, "they" will have to turn on themselves. But how can "we" be around with popcorn to watch the … Continue reading Slaughter of the scapegoats
Connections to the great unknown
I walked out humming the chorus to House Carpenter: "Save your love for loneliness, save my love for sorrow..." and said hello to neighbour, Peggy Seeger. In Oxford 2025 it is still just possible to be one degree of separation from Ramblin' Jack Elliott.
Was hit by a one-two of poetry
Was hit by a one-two of #poetry yesterday readin' Deep Wheel Orcadia (Picador, London, 2021), a sci-fi novel by Harry Josephine Giles (find their books and more here https://harryjosephine.com/) in trans-linguistic Orkney verse mediating & mediated in nowimmediateurgent language. Boom! And, Martina Evans, "Drunken Driving an extract" (The Stinging Fly 51.2 Winter 2024-25, pp24-33 https://stingingfly.org/magazine/): … Continue reading Was hit by a one-two of poetry
Time, perception and the infinite
Life is energy, movement, change, time. An implication of infinite space and time is that only the here and now exists forever. Thermodynamics. Energy moves: hot to cold. Movement is time. Movement is relative: this moves towards/away-from that; faster/slower, more/less. Movement is change: here to there. Change is time. Change is relative. Time is relative. … Continue reading Time, perception and the infinite
Zombie Apocalypse
It occurs to me that a zombie apocalypse may be the outcome of AI development. You could say that AI IS the zombie apocalypse. Since Dawn of the Dead, zombies have eaten brains. This seems an apt metaphor for what generative AI using large language models is doing. Machine reading as much of the world's … Continue reading Zombie Apocalypse
Tragedy of the commons
I feel terrible about the state of the USA. It is hard to be gracious in defeat. Bless you, Kamala, you fought well. Magnanimaty from the victor is not relevant. But, I am well fed - for now - and live a privileged life outside the USA. Many less well-fed than I, and living precariously … Continue reading Tragedy of the commons
Dreamtime poetry
Art, as I have come to understand, is the means by which the dreamtime is carried across generations. The dreamtime is that from which "we" emerge/d, became something like what passes for self-aware, individually and as a species, some time ago; and, that to which we return, the same. Animals live mostly in the dreamtime. I debate … Continue reading Dreamtime poetry
Brum Radio Poets
Sunday 27 October 2024, 1000 GMT The monthly Brum Radio Poets are Leah Atherton and me, in conversation with Rick Sanders, aka Willis the Poet. We each read five poems. Listen on Sunday, and there will be a link in the Brum Radio Archive. Here https://www.mixcloud.com/BrumRadio/brum-radio-poets-with-rick-sanders-october-2024-27102024/ Friends! The studio session was energising and fun. I … Continue reading Brum Radio Poets
Biden trying to trump Trump
I suggest Joe Biden is trying to challenge Trump by appealing directly to his own base. I think this is the right move, but he will need a metaphorical - or actual - shovel-full of ees and whiz to make it work. He could actually pick off some of Trump's base with the truth. Kamala … Continue reading Biden trying to trump Trump
rWorld2 