The Urban Environment

Exploring minute alterations in the urban environment - our parking lot at work was recently repaved and although I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was excellent, I did admire the way that they had precisely painted the white demarcation lines, to me, that’s an art. Strange how we want life to be all neatly ordered isn’t it? Just like a parking lot! And often we’re reminded that life is really a tangled mess in reality. Been doing more genealogical research into my Cornish grandfather, John Drew, born around 1810 in Truro - hundreds if not thousands of hours of study that only amounts to a few bare facts. In my conclusion, after careful analysis... it’s a tragic start in life for John Drew... yet he made the most of it - born illegitimate to a mother, called Susanna (she must have been pretty young at the time - maybe 16) ... born in the local Workhouse in Truro, and abandoned to the powers that be. Yet, they looked after him, taught him how to read and write, paid for an apprenticeship- set him up in life. Life isn’t easy, we can’t always have everything in straight lines - sometimes it’s a mess and we do our best!

All Rights Reserved & Copyright 2019 David John Drew

A Ship’s Tale: QE2 of the Cunard Line

A Ship’s Tale: QE2 of the Cunard Line

Here is my attempt at the ‘Fornythislag/Mallahattr’ meter – and I found it difficult to maintain the 4 syllable a line count and often drifted into 5 or 6 in order to keep a sense of meaning. Despite this, AI incorporated some cross-rhymes and alliteration, with the end rhymes being impossible I although I tried!) The verses are concerned with a ship, a cruise liner called the QE2 (Queen Elizabeth the Second), built originally in the 1960’s on Clydesbank in Scotland, with her maiden voyage being the 2^nd May 1969 (a real Bealtaine beauty!) She was officially retired in Dubai on November the 26^th in 2008 with nearly 40 years of service with the Cunard line. As a praise poem, I focused on three main aspects of the ship’s life: her construction on the Clyde, her participation in the Falklands war as a troop ship (in 1982), and finally her retirement in the Middle East (last destination being Port Rashid). Simple as they may appear these meters require a greater depth of thought and more concentrated word-meanings than anything else I have yet attempted. The best reward are some excellent kennings. This poem was written for the QE2’s tenth year of retirement - and success as a floating hotel. 

 

A sea scop’s tale – by Mungo’s Clyde,

Vast coracle created – ribs well rising,

The prow proudly yawns – dawn’s volt-blue flames,

Venerable Cunard’s name – the keel wide and deep,

With smoky steel spine – a beam hard-set,

Well flared sea-mare – the ship-builders pride,

The ocean bride sighs – in seams fog wrought,

A red molten scheme – a breed iron hones

Skiff shield of welder’s - the plover’s bead dream,

Sailors surf plough – a ship town’s bread,

This tongue of the Gael – a chrism of the Queen,

Thro’ Irish waters – A Southampton berth,

Cross’ trans-Atlantic – New York’s darling,

Neptune’s mistress – long cruise of comforts,

Of nostalgic airs – the Champagne flowing,

Soft swaying kisses – then clouds of distress,

To battle called – the seagulls screaming,

In troops transporting – to Falkland’s sound,

With Britain’s war crew – too bold in conflict,

The ice-cold south – her heart ever true,

Safe homeward bound – the Islands protected,

Dover’s white cliffs – a mother’s saluting,

The streamline Maiden – forty years strong,

Great graceful liner – of dolphin guided,

Swift and noble – richly desired

Thousand and one night – retired in majesty,

The keen of mourners, into Eastern dawn,

A captain navigates – to the Prince of Dubai,

Bid fond farewell – In port Rashid,

Barque of last longing – final end journey,

Shooting stars illumine – sky glow of fireworks,

A desert flower now – in Persia’s gulf.

 

All Rights Reserved 2018 & Copyright David John Drew ‘Ollamh Draoi’

Six Arborial Haiku

 

Poor is the man who fails to be inspired by the tree. Oftentimes they are simply sturdy natural structures that we pass by on a daily basis, and we may be lucky enough to have a garden with one or two or more. On closer inspection, indeed meditation, we might revel in all their bejeweled majesty, or draw a multitude of inspiration in form and textures. We may listen to the gentle song of their leaves. In olden times the tree was very symbolic; a greater existence, the roots reaching down into the earth for nourishment, the trunk, a strong and sturdy body, and the branches reaching upwards to heaven, as the first psalm in the King James Bible says;

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf shall not whither; and whatsoever he doth shall prosper..."

And so, I offer a selection of my own observations on trees, and my favorites happen to be the birch, the alder, willow, oak and the hazel:

Verdant eyes

Cool shade by lazy brooks:

Green giant sleeping.

+

Winds flaking birch bark

Of butterfly births, floating:

Into books of words.

+

Hazel fingers stretch

Chocolate nuts jingle sweet:

A flock of sparrows.

+

Damson boughs bending

Ripe scent of summer fruit:

On hot buttered toast.

+

Choral breeze of leaves

Forest tongues flickering light:

Chameleon chants.

+

An ocean of bark

Oak vessels swaying softly

Seagulls perched on masts

+

All Rights Reserved & Copyright: David John Drew 'Lord Carville' 2018

MMCVII - Drew/Harrell Annual Newsletter

Life can be as complex and frustrating as a Jackson Pollock jigsaw puzzle, we may drift into a profound depression attempting to analyze the point or meaning of it all. This year of 2017 has verged on the abysmal with seemingly catastrophic changes on every level of society in the U.S. but particularly in government. The appearance of a small but entirely vicious creature on the lawn of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue initiated a surge of paroxysmal activity throughout the nation.

It has somewhat been a year of anniversaries and great discoveries - of celebrating the past in the present. Kim and David celebrated their 20^th wedding anniversary in August with a trip to Iceland, England and Scotland. They made new friends in Reykjavik and established and renewed actual physical contact (not via Facebook) with old ones including Dr. Edward Cooper (of Spanish fortifications fame) and Juliette Banner (the restaurateur) in London. Family was the focus of a short stay in Newcastle upon Tyne (the author’s home-town) - reestablishing links with Uncle Bob and Auntie Maureen, Christine, Jim and nephew Michael... and of course ‘Mam.’ A short tour of Scotland, in and around Edinburgh was made infinitely more pleasurable with the companionship of Deirdre Smith and Oddmar Sandvik, the rambunctious ‘Bergensere.’ We failed to reach the Holy island of Lindisfarne - but realized that often our lives are directed by forces of nature and not by human will or desire. 

 

Kim attended her 30^th College reunion at Colorado College. She continues to impart her jewelry skills to unwitting students at Aurora Community College and the Art Students League of Denver. Kim had a splendid year of business despite the recession of intellect at the highest levels of government - thankfully, we still possess talents like Kim that keep the wheels of creativity, intelligence and commerce rolling despite crap on the tracks. Meanwhile, David came to the sudden realization that he has completed 12 years of work at the Veterans Living Community Center in Aurora. He is currently in training for retirement. David continues to shun gluten as a dietary evil that threatens the clarity and sanity of the digestive tract

 

Hannah commenced her studies as a freshman in Hinkley High School, and discovered one of her callings in Mandarin Chinese with a potential expedition to Mongolia on the horizon. She also plays an active role in the drama and theatre society. It has been our delight to follow her sharp mind as it explores many exciting topics - for example, her reading and reflections on the novel ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ by Harper Lee. * Isabella celebrated her 17^th birthday on the 17^th day of 2017 (17 being the Star card (XVII) in the Tarot) - which to our mind is a fantastically magical and beneficial omen! She continues to excel in both volleyball and tennis, but also possesses a keen mind bent on achieving the topmost fruits of academic success - and perusing potential colleges when she finally graduates from high school. Her studies in psychology draw her in the possible direction of Stanford university in California. * Beatrice is in her second year at Colorado State University, after studying equine sciences she has made a radical change and decided to major in creative arts. She acquired her driving license this year, and Mario (her boyfriend) enabled the purchase of a 2004 metallic turquoise Mustang convertible that simply makes a busy student life easier. 

 

Apart from the death of any sense of normality in the world, we say goodbye to John Hurt (actor), Adam West (the first and only true Batman), Chuck Berry and Fats Domino (musicians), Jerry Lewis (comedian/actor), Helmut Kohl (German politician), Roger Moore (actor), Robert M. Persig (writer)... and all those who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity. - Happy Holidays and Best wishes for 2018 - David, Kim, Bea, Bella and Hannah

All Rights Reserved & Copyright 2017 David John Drew, 'Lord Carville'

The Question of Crime

Crime is defined as an activity or effort exerted by an individual (or group) to gain possession of, or destroy an article (or articles) held to be of value by a person or people in society, and by extension the deliberate breaking of commonly accepted laws of that society whenever and wherever they are in place to maintain a sense of order. When viewed generally this fact extends to all things in society, animate and inanimate, animal, human, vegetable and mineral. An individual or group attempt to take possession, destroy or circumvent that which exists in the land by right of law, and which exists or has been obtained according to the legal parameters established. Criminal activity works outside of the accepted standards of society and is therefore considered illegal, and the person/s who have engaged in such activities are investigated, tried by law and if found guilty undergo a process of recompense or punishment. Criminal activity can assume many different forms: pre-meditated, opportunistic, delinquent, anti-social, homicidal… etc. The governing body of the nation establishes a specific agency to investigate, prosecute and appropriately punish those who commit crimes.

When considering the phenomena of crime we are faced by a very complex social duality: the difference between what is good for society and that which is against it, the age-old schism of good versus evil. For the most part individuals work towards the good of society and their nation, their activities are beneficial and contribute to successful growth and equal recompense is their reward. Such unselfish dedication enhances the overall health of society. Criminals on the other hand seek another path in life which is by nature predatory. They are stimulated by personal gain at whatever cost, they seek to collect by illegal and alternative means and are therefore at odds with the general flow of society as a whole. Crime it seems is an inherent aspect of all societies and nations throughout history, even in societies where the maximum penalty of death has been established it has been insufficient to prevent criminal activity. Some may consider the benefits of crime include the establishment and maintenance of a criminal justice system, which employs citizens in a continued and persistent effort to eradicate and control activity. Yet a crime-ridden society is the justification for the upkeep of such judicial systems and vice-versa.

Every rational social organism needs the dimension of laws in order to fluidly proceed for the good of all citizens and ensure their well-being. Those that break laws commonly accepted by the masses have demonstrated by their actions that they have forgone the benefits of a good social order and should be rightly punished for their crimes. History shows us that criminal activity is always present in society, it persists - yet as we recognize this sad fact we should not slacken in our zeal to minimize it and expunge it from our midsts. Despite this, criminals should be treated with all humanity and given the opportunity to learn, reform and develop into good citizens.

All Rights Reserved / Copyright David John Drew 2017

The Question of Justice.

Many today equate the subject of justice with the mechanics of the judicial system of law: the whole and entire compendium of law and order comprising the pursuit of criminals and the application of appropriate punishments. To varying degrees, lesser and greater this is in part true, although this represents only one aspect of justice; there is a deeper and more meaningful aspect of this term. So, what is the root, core and meaning of justice, and can we adopt and employ it as a practical method or tool in our daily lives? This short erudite article investigates justice as a social and political phenomena, and suggests means for its practical implementation.  

Justice is the principle question and theme within the book ‘The Republic’ by the Greek philosopher Plato, written approximately 380 BC. In Greek the term ‘republic’ is ‘politeia’ which is translated as ‘political system’ and the book takes the form of a dinner-party discursive dialog with Socrates (as the main character) together with several Athenian citizens and foreigners. They play their time assessing the role that justice as a principle works in law, life and politics. This book is not concerned with conservative or republican politics but rather a commentary on the order, constitution and character of political organization from varying perspectives. The basis of this article is founded on the central themes within the ‘Republic’ and I earnestly advise my readers to consult the book itself for more detailed analysis and information. Despite the apparent antiquity of the book, it still contains many themes and arguments relevant to us today in general political life.

 

I do not want to delve too deeply into the many and main arguments of ‘The Republic’ but sufficeth to say in conclusion that justice is preferable to injustice in political life. Injustice is fueled by greed, corruption, and the desire for unmediated power. Injustice breeds inequality purely on the basis of power and wealth. Justice on the other hand is inspired by the love of and pursuit of knowledge, nature and truth, to serve the nation and its citizens with absolute devotion. Justice is, in the minds of Plato and Socrates the ‘rule of the just’ and the just are defined as philosophers or individuals who ‘love knowledge.’ Socrates thus defines the ideal (just) ruler of a nation as a ‘philosopher-king’ which we may interpret in modern language either as a monarch or more aptly as a statesman. Justice is there employed by the knowing ruler as a means of political governance which demands impartiality, objectivity, truthfulness, integrity and in the words of Socrates; ‘justice supports the three other cardinal virtues which are temperance, virtue and courage.’ In conclusion we gather that in order for the political entity (the monarch, president, statesman, prime minister or other) to govern with justice he/she must act without concern for personal gain, whose every intention, thought, action and method must be based upon their complete and profound dedication to service to the nation and its citizens. 

 

I have yet to actually define justice, and here I will: justice in the classical sense is a form of philosophy or method of thinking. It is, as I have previously mentioned, no less than a pure love for knowledge. This method of thought properly employed informs our understanding of the world and influences our decisions and ultimate actions. Our sense of justice develops as we are educated and we learn, and form balanced opinions in various related matters to our existence, and our relationship to and with all things. Therefore I can say that there are three essential components to justice: truth, nature and knowledge.

 

If we stand in a court of law preparing to submit evidence in a trial (for example), before all those present including the ministers of the court, the judge and the jury, we take a solemn and binding oath: “I promise that I shall tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” We are committed to bearing witness to all the aspects of truth as we see it, we do not lie or invent a falsehood, we do not conjure up a fantastic version of the events, create myths or fables or parables. We pass on only our view of the events as a living witness to the actual reality as we perceive it. Truth may not be absolute, our perception may be fragmentary but it is our one and only account without deviation.

 

Nature signifies the core meaning of a thing, the deepest and most profound explanation of an entity. To arrive at this core understanding we must strip the object of our attention from all surface meanings until we arrive at the center. Thus from careful and precise methods of analysis we reduce the term justice to its basic meaning, we find that it is ‘a perfectly balanced conclusion of diverse element or opposing forces.’ Which is to say that it is an opinion derived only after a complete and exhaustive process of research and enquiry. Justice can never be an assumption, an uninformed opinion, the view of only one facet of an argument: it must take into consideration all possible avenues and explore all the angles of the subject matter. This is the veritable aspect of nature in the process of justice.

 

Knowledge is the last aspect of justice. We accumulate knowledge through years of prolonged and intensive research and study. It is not only that, but also the knowledge gained from the practice of working, living and being in the world, also from observation and experience. Knowledge is the basis and foundation of our understanding correctly, it increases as we progress through life and learn from past and prior mistakes in order (in the future) to make the ‘wise’ choice and not to repeat errors of judgment. In this sense knowledge is related to wisdom, for wisdom is the scholarly form of knowledge. When a medical scientist is attempting to discover the remedy to an infectious and deadly disease they must adopt a clarified and methodical process of analysis, both to understand the means of operation the virus uses, and how best to combat the virus effectively. Through a complete sequence of highly detailed experiments they attempt to solve this problem. Each experiment involves their base knowledge of virology, medicine, science, mathematics, physics, biology, previous articles of research into the matter by other experts in the field and a host of techniques, equipment and specialized tools in their efforts. No doctor would assume that simply by messing around in a laboratory they would unintentionally and accidentally come across a cure. So, in this example we have a definition of knowledge; the sum total of our education, skills, and capabilities employed in a methodical and logical manner. 

 

My conclusion is that justice is not an inherent characteristic of human behavior but an ideal that must be aimed for with unrelenting dedication. On a most practical level we can use a sense of justice by not jumping to immediate conclusions in any matter, not before collecting all the available facts regarding the issue. Justices means dealing fairly and equitably and equally with each other; presenting and awarding truthful testimony in all matters. Amongst politicians, whatever their title and role we demand that they govern with the tools of truth, nature and knowledge as I defined above. In this respect we cannot accept any politician who hides or distorts the truth for their own gain, who treats one group of citizens more favorably than another, bit who is perfectly equitable in all their motives, intentions and actions. Corruption and deviancy are the antithesis of just actions. 

All Rights Reserved/Copyright 2017 David John Drew

The Question of Immigration.

Immigration is a condition created and extended from the people and leaders of a nation towards non-citizens of other countries and populations of the world: to invite them to become domicile (in some shape, way or form) in the aforementioned nation.

Immigration can be a valuable foundation for creating a free-base of diverse skills, technological expertise and manpower in a rising economy, especially where there are not enough indigenous citizens in the home-country to meet the immediate demands of industry, business and commerce. Immigrants can therefore be usefully employed in a broad range of diverse areas to meet this exclusive demand. They may even thereafter be offered full citizenship for their valued contribution to the success of the nation in the long run.

 

As we can all see, any nation’s economy is prone to fluctuations and can therefore both rise and decline. At times it can exhibit immense strength, other times a flaccid weakness much akin to a disease of inertia. All conditions associated with a decline in a countries economy such as unemployment indicate a necessary change in any and all approaches to administration. In such times immigration must be either reduced to an absolute minimum or halted completely, because the influx of non-citizens creates an economic burden on the nation. In such periods the value of any individual immigrant must be carefully assessed to explore their potential contribution to society in terms of the specific skills they possess.

 

Only when a nation and its administration has fully met the needs of all its indigenous citizens can it begin to contemplate inviting or accepting foreign nationals to its population. Even then the value of such immigrants should be assessed for their potential contribution. A yearly quota (limit) should be agreed upon by the governing administration for the intake of immigrant populations. An economic impact assessment plan should be constructed and frequently charted, and the results carefully monitored to establish the following years quota. Points of entry into the territory must be monitored to inhibit and prevent illegal immigration. All immigrants should carry officially issued I.D. cards to monitor movements, residence and activities until such time as they become full citizens. All immigrants should speak with reasonable fluency the native language of the domicile nation, and should be in possession of an acceptable level of education and of a standard comparable to that already provided to the full-citizens of the host nation.

 

No immigrant should have access to public funds, or those funds which are specifically designated as being for the benefit of citizens. Neither should immigrants have unlimited access to any medical health services. Such a system should be created that demands payment in full for any medical treatment of the non-citizen. Such a system (I believe) will see a dramatic decrease in the influx of illegal immigration. The sovereign nation should with all its power, constituted in suitable laws provide all measure of care for its citizens first and foremost, before extending its resources in aid to other nations and foreign nationals. All actions contrary to this may be seen as divisive and detrimental.

Copyright 2017 David John Drew