NOTYEATS
THE POET'S CORNERED
If there’s much that you don’t know but see facts and figures grow
And have no hours to read the Times
Any facts and figures sent, to be reviewed is our intent
Into tight, memorable poetic lines!
Notyeats
INTRODUCTION
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Initially I regarded poetry as an extension of song. In my first book entitled "From Small Beginnings" I explored the relationship between poetry and song. The difference between a line of poetry and a line of lyric could simply be a tune.
Song can provide a rhythmical framework that can accommodate a broad range of subjects, which once turned in to poetry, can at its best bring the spotlight of truth onto the printed page and condense the best and worst of human endeavours into few evocative lines.
Initially I preferred to develop a poetic sensibility by experimentation, using many different styles to address issues with the light touch.
SONG OR STANZA?
My second collection of poems is intended to highlight the interaction between events in the wider world and how this competes with the personal aesthetics that develop over time
e.g. should I write a poem, a song or a piece of work that combines the two forms?
An old comic folk song usually has a very strong rhythm and is widely known. If you want the work to have immediate impact, then making a poem derived from a song has much to commend it.
If a poem is very concise it may lack context. A balance between footnotes, text and the title may be sufficient .
If you wish become familiar with the poetic forms use by well-known poets of times past, there is no higher compliment than imitation, as long as the original poet is acknowledged.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media such as Twitter can produce immediate reactions if a topic is being widely discussed. I tried not to become fixated by approval ratings but hoped to be able to discuss subjects with people of contrary views, who would discuss current issues in a constructive way. I have created 2 ,000+ tweets, taking the form of poems. commentaries or discussion papers. These have been sent to politicians of the left and right, rebels of the left and right, and well-known radio and tv programmes. Tweet statistics can give you very quick feedback as to how much or little of your work has been viewed.
FIRST COLLECTION (Critics’ reaction)
The question that many people ask is what is this book for? Perhaps this can best be answered by referring to 3 reviews of my first book with extracts as follows:
Extracts from a review by http://thatsbooks.blogspot.co.uk
It's a very interesting book which really belongs on the bookshelf of any writer, poet, or teacher of creative writing. For it is an exploration of the beginning of Sean's journey as a poet.
He examines lyrics from 21st century hip-hop, 19th century comedy operettas and flower power era songs and explains how, (initially) he regarded poetry as an extension of song.
He asks an important question "Why be a poet or a storyteller?" and makes a good and praiseworthy effort to provide some answers. There are sixty poems covering a wide range of subjects.
​It's described as an "anti-textbook" but it is this reviewer's opinion that this book should definitely be a required text for all creative writing classes throughout the land.
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Extracts from a review by David Marx ​
A catharsis, a clarification; to finally stumble upon a poet who’s more politically correct (factually) than an entire platoon of annoying hypocrites, who merely purport to know all by simply subscribing to anaesthetized political correctness itself.
The only thing I would say, is that one cannot help but veer more to what is actually being said, rather than the actual form of poetry itself. That said, maybe this was/is the intention?
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​Extract from a review by Kelly Allen
I received a copy of Sean Notyeats poetry book, From Small Beginnings. I love reading and writing poetry, and it was refreshing to see the book described as 'A stage in the poet's progress – from song to stanza.
He covers politics, life and relationships and I really enjoyed his introduction; he's personable and passionate about the spoken and written word. When it comes to the rhyming poems throughout the book, I'm not too keen on his use of simple end rhyme; I much prefer internal and more thought-provoking rhyme.
​I think this book would be adored by those who like the rhythmic and repetitive rhyme, with political themes running throughout. I think this is a good starter.
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Now I seem to have written a collection of poetry that is a good teaching aid as well as an enjoyable read. It should be remembered that this work is a description of a journey of a poet starting from scratch and records booby traps, both practical and aesthetic.
Layout of the second collection is similar to the first, as it shows themes covered, poems arranged by theme, with room for footnotes, notes and acknowledgements.
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A POET CORNERED!
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We iive in a world where the population will cooncannot be supp
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NO NUMBER 1???
INTRODUCTION
United States likes to claim the status of the world's leading superpower. This may now be fantasy costing too many dollars? The USA may best be recognised as being the first among equals?
USA functions best when there is a shared Clear and Present Danger that threatens the Republic.
If the USA and it's people are to have any future at all, global warming must be reversed and reduced to a much lower level than now by 2050. After the mid-century deadline, if the Walter Mitty Tendency prevails, a Tipping Point may be reached and an irreversible upward spiral in surface temperature will make the planet toxic to humans.
At the moment, the USA has the largest economy and the largest military in the world, but this is insufficient to dominate the World by conventional means!
The USA needs to be seen to improve itself by setting to one side it's profligate use of the world resources and re-orientate its pattern of production and consumption which recognises the need and aspirations of the poor within its own Society and those of the developing world.
There are too many people and too little planet which will result in Conquest, War, Famine, and Death - as variously alluded to by Malthus, Darwin, the Book of Revelations and so on
DON’T DENY THE PAST JUST LEARN FROM PAST LESSONS
Human beings are very tribal. Insults given may be exaggerated and give a sense of shared humiliation which can last hundreds of years for example:
A Russian fleet was destroyed by the Japanese prior to WWI
Between the world wars Japan invaded Manchuria humiliating China
The Americans destroyed Nagasaki and Hiroshima humiliating the Japanese
The Americans humiliated United Kingdom and France by forcing them to leave the Suez Canal after the invasion of 1956
Americans were humiliated by the Vietnamese in the 60s and 70s.
Scope for revenge is Infinite and ultimately self destructive
At this time mankind should come together and develop new structures and ways of working so that global warming is reversed. The world should be concerned with cleaning up after the Industrial Revolution , ensure the environment is fit for those flora and fauna that have survived human predation.
We are now confronted by new behaviour from the Chinese. Instead of being team players they have decided to follow a lebensraum doctrine as first presented by the Germans leading up to World War II
FORCE OR THE CREDIBLE THREAT OF FORCE WILL ALWAYS TRUMP REASON
The Chinese military seem to consider the US government to be weak, incoherent and vacillating based upon the experience of working with President Obama who, some pundits claim, failed to adequately support the Philippines against China re local natural resources. President Trump speaks only gibberish.
Power abhors a vacuum and the Chinese replaced a “wobbly USA” and in the process gave the them preferential access to important raw materials
If the Chinese continue to pursue a land grab strategy and attempt to give its people an equivalent per capita level of consumption as in the USA, the resulting reduction in biodiversity will for example, make resistance to future viral diseases difficult to master. This will be compounded by a looming toxic atmosphere. The combined economic and military power of USA, India, Japan and Russia should ensure that the Chinese will take note of the demonstration of real Hard Power.
Mssrs Biden, Obama, Petraeus and Holland, if you wish to save your country and your planet, you need to confront the Chinese with three choices?
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Work with the other G20 Nations to build a new international framework to achieve a balance between nature and mankind to secure the long-term welfare and survival of children from all over the world
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If the Chinese continue their lebensraum policy, one night in the not too distant future thousands of individual warheads of varying kiloton yields could deliver the first and only strike against the Chinese nation . Much of the Northern Hemisphere would become uninhabitable but the long-term survival of mankind would stand a chance of being in the millions.
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The Chinese people if given a little time to choose between options 1 and 2, they may consider a third to be more acceptable ie to have a second Cultural Revolution but with “the party” being the object of scorn and ridicule for exposing the people to potential extinction.
CLEAN YOUR OWN BACKYARD FIRST BEFORE CRITICISING OTHERS
The United States Constitution (USC) is a remarkable document in many ways, to keep such a diverse country together based on English common law and heavily influenced by French Revolutionary thinking.
The USC law has provided a rules-based structure for a very diverse country however, there comes a time when world events overtake legal frameworks e.g. a 2050 deadline meet CC (climate change) targets.
A USA lead re: CC and associated political and structural change, will require the US to swallow its pride and expect a series of temporary or permanent changes within its own constitution that will make way for better relations internationally.
Please see below a list of constitutional changes that might encourage other countries to emulate a revised US constitution.
If an institution can be devised to keep the G20 countries together for 30 years, this will be on the basis of the USA changing from a laissez-faire capitalist system to allocation based upon need, with pricing later, it would be up to national government collectively define the “new economics “
LAW - examples
Universal entitlement to a state / federal lawyer according to offence
Maximum time in police custody - then need Judge to allow extension
Statute of limitations
Numeracy and Literacy a condition for release from jail
Rehabilitation a condition of release from jail
Rehab failure once released will require Judge to send offender back to jail
Nationwide rules of engagement for armed police
Nationwide sentencing indicators
All lawyers required to give 25% of their time to public sector
Suggested changes to the United States Constitution
1 minimum requirements for the Presidency : Age, Educational Attainment, Professional Attainment, Experience of politics at state , Federal and international level etc
2 Establish a Federal Civil Service to give continuity, competence, and non-partisan management
eg Federal Electoral Commission - collect all donations + re-distribute on a per-capita basis
Campaigns to start 1 month before polling day, finish 1 week before polling day
Air time to be provided free of charge by web based Social Media
3 Reduce the president's power to declare war, issue pardons and issue executive orders
4 To declare war have sign off from Speaker of House, Leader of Senate and the Head of the
Supreme Court?
5 Supreme Court Judge term limited to 10 years
6 Establish an independent Federal Law Commission to produce a short list of candidates for a new Supreme Court Judge, the final candidate to be ratified by the House and Senate. The President should have no part in this process.?
7 Continue to allow the principle of the right to bear arms as part of the USC but subject to the right of individual states to defer implementation for as long as they deem appropriate?
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8 The USC to acknowledge the origins of its structures and institutions has been derived from
The sacred texts born of the sons’ of Abraham
English Common Law, English Civil War, French revolutionary war
The USC will be guided by these principles not ruled by them
9 The electoral College process should be made uniform throughout the 50 states to avoid situations where the popular vote provides one answer and the electoral colleges produces the opposite
10 Federal oversight review to electoral border changes over say the last 20 years
Previous papers have made apparently crazy suggestion that a G20 world government for a finite period 30 years might be workable. Whether this suggestion is daft or not depends on the alternatives available for our continuation as a species and a Civilization
Preparation for conventional World War III, as in World War II, would encourage co-operation of previous enemy countries to form a coalition against a common foe. A land and sea land war would be relevant for: India, Russia, USA, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea the Philippines, Japan, Ausralia , Singapore etc
As a species we are profoundly efficient consumers , even including our own seed corn.
If Darwinian laws are the best that humans can produce, then the death of the many to preserve the few maybe the FINAL OUTCOME.
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CONFLICT While the Democrats do Flip Flop the Republicans do Wham Bam Thankyou Mam???
Do they flip-flop these soft lefties? (the Trump view) Have they the guts to mobilize the USA as per following examples:
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Ensure massive redundancy in energy sources, power generation, storage, transmission
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Ensure massive dispersal of military assets world wide
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Stop production of nuclear Ford Class at 2 , replacements to be UK QE design (1 Ford = 2 to 3 QE)
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Take the lead in software designed to search / destroy foreign espionage / sabotage malware
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Introduce layers of communication ground based, AEW, stratospheric drones with extreme endurance
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Hi tech weapons / drones would cost mega bucks , have high rate of replenishment. Need to build up huge inventory before conflict begins?
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Perhaps FOAB from B2 +F22+MALD+F35 on uninhabited SCS island might impart a sense of “thus far and no further?
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Position assets to take out ALL BAD GUY FLEET if retaliation en masse is attempted?
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Have plans A,B and C available unlike Iraq War 2
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SWOT ANALYSIS WHILE CLIMATE CHANGE IS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL
Strengths
Astonishing innovation in a very short time
Rationality prevails (just)
When fairness is perceived, people will scarify themselves for the common good
Recognition that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely
Weaknesses
The preference of mankind to enjoy short-term gratification instead of planning for future is tragic
Leaders of democracy often follow the crowd
Mankind prefers easy solutions/quick fixes so delusional/or hubristic leaders may be preferred
No single superpower able to impose long-term structures
Poor dispute resolution bodies + poor communications increase suspicion / phobia as a prelude to escalation to military action and ultimately thermonuclear war
Opportunities
If the world is to avoid near extinction of humankind, major reform of how government is practised throughout the world needs to be explored. Even the most trenchant of dictators may moderate his behaviour or risk elimination
Most of the world's horrors of rape, pillage, genocide + other work of men is against women and children. The full emancipation of women at all levels within all countries should be encouraged to instil within men a sense of responsibility and restraint, again penalty for avoiding this necessity would be sanctions in proportion to the danger posed by non-compliance
THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTITY example
The demonstration to other groups of Nations that cooperation and essential integration are possible, and could be the model exemplified by the EU by minimising the gap between the periphery and the centres of power. The formation of economic blocs is probably unavoidable if small countries are to have any influence on world affairs. In order to achieve this end affinity must feel natural, so the EU might have to declare itself primarily as a confederation of Caucasian Christian people. Existing minorities within the EU to have full citizen rights, but further immigration would require very strict controls
To this end:
* the primacy of European law over other laws spiritual or temporal needs to be clear. *admissions to the EU for specific job by suitably qualified applicants
* the admission of spouses the EU only if hold appropriate professional + language skills
* the presence of religious buildings seating up to 500 will be limited to discreet locations
* any existing religious buildings> 500 will need to be redeveloped with compensation
* the wearing of clothing that conceals identity will be banned from sale/use in public
* Faith based schools will be gradually converted into community-based institutions
Opportunities – continued Redrawing maps examples:
Russia
Physical barriers along all EU Borders
If Russia wants to annex Ukraine peacefully, would have to release Kaliningrad to Poland and stay out of the Balkans.
The ambitions of Turkish speaking areas / states to have more power and influence
The demography of East Siberia – Russians moving out, Chinese moving in
China
Worried about the rise of Islam in Western Borders
Possible nuclear escalation between China and India over Bhutan
Possible nuclear escalation with US if Taiwan attacked by China
Possible nuclear escalation with US if access to South China Sea impeded
Help Russia out of Financial mess by leasing land in East Siberia to China
EU Land lease an area the size of France from Libya for 100 years to absorb African migrants
USA Land lease an area the size of France from Mexico for 100 years to absorb SAm migrants
ISRAEL Relocate to SW USA
PALESTINE Relocate to SW USA
UN Land lease remaining areas of rain forest + pay rental to National Govts for leaving forests in tact
The transportation of goods around the world by way of globalisation has spread jobs and prosperity but at the expense of increased CO2 emissions, global warming etc.
If UN member states form themselves into regional customs unions to gain self-sufficiency in terms of food, water, energy production by using manpower allied to intermediate technology, a sustainable balance may be achievable?
USE THE EFFECTS OF CLOBAL WARMING TO GOOD EFFECT
If the coastal cities of the world are not to be drowned, flood relief channels, basins, lakes may all have to be constructed. Dig a trench, the spoil becomes the raised bank, the bottom made of clay, the sides fixed by vegetation then the water surges inland via turbines for power, is stored in a lake and released into the sea via turbines. Use salt marshes, mangrove swamps
Power Generation: USA, China, EU, Japan, Korea to use industrial capacity to make solar panels, wind turbines, smaller scale HEP, tidal generators, wave generators etc. To be paid for by rental from land lease sites in sunny or windy countries. The aim is installing power generation on houses, factories with feed in of surplus power to grid. Smaller installations should be cheaper to install, maintain and be more resilient against man made or natural disasters. Nuclear Power to be bedrock power source for many years to come, but fewer stations and smarter grid.
Education, Female control of fertility, national service so that fundamental change can be understood
Opportunities – continued
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Power Storage: Compressed air, molten salt, hydrogen, pumped water, tidal power, rechargeable batteries, fuel cells, captured methane from Arctic Tundra (or escapes into atmosphere and is a much more dangerous greenhouse gas than CO2)
Power Transmission: Use liquid nitrogen DC cables for transmission of current over long distances e.g. from windy North and West Europe to more populous south OR to transmit solar power from southern coast of Mediterranean to more populous north. Build local grids first before scaling upwards. Transportation of hydrogen could become the long-term gasoline replacement on some platforms.
Carbon Capture:
If power and space permit extract CO2 from atmosphere and store as solid Calcium Carbonate,
Capture methane from tundra and store as liquid
If tundra warming up, plant trees where possible
UN to land lease new tree growing area of tundra and pay rental in proportion to carbon captured?
Education, Female control of fertility, national service - so that fundamental change can be understood
Design products to be repairable, long lasting and affordable
Land lease potentially a way to achieve a much fairer distribution of resources
Compliance with fundamental change should be achieved by rewards with penalties such as sanctions, regime change or ultimately military action.
Threats
global warming leading to
Rising sea level and the inundation of coastal cities
Heavily polluted sea
Degradation of marine environment and inability to provide food
Loss of bio-diversity on land and sea
Extreme Weather events become common leading to cataclysmic flooding, loss of crops and pasture land could lead to Mass immigration and the use of military to slow down or halt process
Famine becomes commonplace
With the rule of law diminishing, civilization breaks down and Darwin's rules take over
Blind automation of manufacturing or farming leads to mass unemployment
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THEMES COVERED
DISUNITED KINGDOM (*) – When politicians put party before country, tactics before strategy, where complacency stifles vision, wreck or reconciliation are equally plausible, the poet cannot ignore the zeitgeist!
The potential departure of the UK from the EU (Brexit) inadvertently undermines the stability that the post-World War 2 settlement brought to the continent. Eight sub-themes are included to explore some of the ramifications.
ASPECTS OF AMERICA (*) - The pro-life union with liberal gun laws that facilitate the taking of life is a paradox that many Europeans cannot understand. Any base language and amoral behaviour of a US President may further polarise the US and weaken its influence abroad. The poems in this section recognise that there are two sides to every coin and so contrary view points are recognised.
ASPECTS OF IRELAND (*) - As with the UK some politicians put party before country, tactics before strategy and allow complacency to rule. Ireland wants to throw the shackle of history to one side and be part of a wider EU space, given credible leadership!
A WOMAN’S WORLD - You too? Me too! We’ll find glass ceilings to break through.
METAPHORES FOR MANKIND - In a world of endless data, do we need a different compass?
JUST FOR FUN – Just for fun!
(*) Includes: irony, parody, satire, polemical humour and more
POEMS IN THE COLLECTION
DISUNITED KINGDOM - INTRODUCTION
Since my first book, “From Small Beginnings” (FSB) was published in May 2017, the themes of identity, loyalty to state, religion, race or region have constantly been in the news headlines.
The passing of wisdom between generations is sadly lacking. FSB included a section entitled “Aspects of Europe” with poems such as:
“Where should loyalty lie?” – town, country, federation?
“What is subsidiarity?”- Pushes decision making from the centre
“EU survival post Brexit?” – Who looks more than 6 months ahead?