The title of this blog post is a quote by US political satirist Art Buchwald, who I read for the first time late last year. Renowned for ridiculing the rich and famous, he wrote by pecking words on his beloved typewriter with two fingers, a cigar often clenched between his (no doubt nicotine-stained) teeth. The […]
Reasons to be (admittedly a little) cheerful this Christmas
At 8.20 yesterday morning I was standing in a very chilly car-park waiting for someone, Actually about eight people. Believe me this is not my usual meeting-up time – but this was special: our winter solstice dip in the sea. Now I know sea-swimming throughout winter is very radio 4; but I have to ask, […]
What do war criminals really want for Christmas?
I am feeling murkful. As though the world was not shitty enough right now, along strides prime minister Benyamin Netahanyu to posture at the Israeli Supreme Court and demand his own pardon. Up on charges of bribery and corruption since 2020 – plus 125 international arrest warrants from the International Criminal court for genocidal mass […]
Standing by the [Gaza] ruins… consolations of vagabond poets
Back when I lived inside Gaza, when Gaza city stood proud with its Hamams and restaurants, its elegant hotels and its rag-tag beach cafes where we drank coffees or tea with sage till midnight, shared poems and bantered, sometimes fiercely, over who sold the best humus; back when the little city gold market thrived and […]
