74 years ago today the UK asked for help from the commonwealth to help rebuild the country Great Britain after the 2nd world war. The Jamaicans who responded to the call had no idea what they were sailing into as they arrived on the ‘Windrush’.
Many people i know knew people who came on that earlier transport and the struggle that begin for everyone since. A small gesture maybe now is displayed at Waterloo station in London to commentate and remind us all of what was and still is sacrificed considering the poor treatment of many of those who answered that call and hopefully still remain here in the UK today.
Here is my simple poetic piece on this topic of, endurance, patience, belief and the ultimate continuation to try at and go for triumph over the odds.
Windfall /Rush
They asked for our help And we answered that call Our mothers and fathers took their leave Being sold the idea of a windfall
They travelled across the seas Seeking a new future for all Working tirelessly for the last 74 years Still wondering where is that windfall
And now after all this time The governing hands have ‘dropped the ball’ Losing our parental identification we ask how? So is it time to forget about that windfall?
With honesty and integrity our parents left their homes Diligent, and obedient working across buses, trains, and shopping malls Helping to build a life in Britain now their home Shouldn’t those in charge be now handing out that Windfall?
Anyone working for so long after being asked to help Should not be treated with such shameful contempt I truly hope our Windrush generation Get that windfall and a message of apologies needs to be sent…
The 25th Bond movie finally arrived after several postponements and delays due to the covid pandemic. It also brought to bear the final outing as 007 for Mr. Daniel Craig, since he begun his stewardship in Casino Royale.
In some ways a final chapter has been written, with I’m sure a new one to take place at some point in the not too distant future. For now this is the Bond Poetic version of ‘No Time to Die’.
Death Has No Time…
The 25th film is the end?
Don’t be silly?
The next 007 is just around bend
As the hit theme song is tuned in by Billie
—
Swann still has a lot to hide
Her youthful nightmare won’t let go
In Bond she does not confide
As they escape the bullets from Primo
—
Five years go unnoticed; but is it a con?
James is now outside the spy club
Hercales is born; the new bioweapon
The killer could be a plant or a shrub
—
It’s Obruchev master plan
Backed by the head of MI6
Nanobots; DNA; touch; become deadpan
What was broken; can they now fix?
—
Steal back the mad scientist
The big bash for Mr. ESB; for sure
A new mad man turns on the mist
And ‘poof’, the old SPECTRE is no more
—
Ash has two faces
Leiter is no more
007 & Bond are now in a race
To get Obruchev; and even the score
—
Now the plan starts to go awry
From the hand of the master Safin
In prison; Bond is Blofeld’s last goodbye
As he uses the touch of miss Madeleine
—
Infected at Safin’s hands
Bond now knows his fate
Is he finally a father, the ‘man’
Or is he decades; far too late?
—-
Nomi and Bond plan their final attack
Safin’s missile nanobot base
Heracles bots made many; no slack
Will Madeleine and Bond get away safe?
—-
Nomi steps in to save mother & daughter
Takes them to a safe place
Safin tries to put Bond to a ‘bot’ slaughter
Bond fights back; putting Safin on his face
—
Mathilde and Madeleine talk to Bond
The missiles are in the air; deployed
‘The child is yours’; 007 is where he belongs
Only one choice taken; for Bond and the island to be destroyed…
See below an excerpt from the book Company of Fools – a comedy drama, with a hint of romance (if you can call it that) available on amazon as a paperback or e-book.
This is the story of one man’s genuine quest to find love, a good job and maybe start a family. His name Justin Whalley. The book is written in the first person as Justin regales his various attempts to obtain or keep one or more of his ‘life goals’.
The random excerpt is from the first page I turned to when opening the novel. Halfway through chapter 9.
“Walking through the cemetery at this early hour frightened me a little. It was winter and still dark, yet the liquid spirit made me feel brave.
Stumbling through the grave yard, I struggled to navigate where my mother’s grave stone could be. Going once a month still left me confused, feeling that I never truly knew where to look, when so many headstones looked familiar. Somehow, the cemetery always seemed different to me. Maybe the drink was having an effect.
The wind calmly whistled through the dense trees that surround the cemetery. I walked following a narrow path and then cut across some grass. This was ridiculous, I couldn’t see a damn thing.
Taking each step slowly, I then found no solid ground. My whole body careered forward and downward. I screamed at the top of my voice.
There I was falling into what must be a newly dug eight foot deep grave. I landed hands first, then body. Flat out. once I regained my my senses, I turned to face, looking upward out of the grave. The darkness seemed to be swirling, moving as though some creature had just thrown me in.
I stood up and dusted myself down and immediately started to call for help.
‘Help! Help! Can anybody hear me?’ Of course no one replied.
I tried one or two more attempts to leap upward but the depth was too steep. Well that’s what I thought. Without warning, down there in the depths of this new grave , a voice spoke to me. ‘Don’t bother mate, I’ve been here all night and can’t get out’.
You’ve never heard a scream ort yell like it. My throat was sore from that yelling and screaming and boy oh boy, when I thought eight feet was too high, I could have jumped three or four times that if I had to.
I don’t know how, but I found a spring that allowed me to escape what could only be described as a spiritual experience, in some way. I know some people have the power to talk to the dead, but this was too close a call”.
Book by J W Nelson (for aged 16+)
Other books: Pentagon Pirate Gang : The Secret of the Orchard (Young Adult) – available on Amazon and in in book shops from spring this year (2022).
YES…its that time again, however from now on, beyond the usual anxious, over excited, frantic and sometime manic rush of Christmas, hopefully you’ll all find time to relax albeit briefly and enjoy a good old read – One of these might take your fancy or all 3!
Your Starter : with Christmas fayre – ‘Poems for the Festive Season’ – 25 poems taking you from December 1 (or whenever you start reading it) to December 25. Humorous, poetic, spiritual, relevant, of its time. (he says) – For all ages; something the whole family can enjoy.
Your Main Course – for the Young Adult and everyone else older – comes the Adventure, mystery ; (the first in the series) – Pentagon Pirate Gang – The Secret of the Orchard ; this sees 5 students from mixed backgrounds attend their special summer school at the School of Fruit Teaching (S.O.F.T.) in the depths of Sherwood Forest and uncover a secret that has been hidden for decades, plus they learn about an even older occurrence that has its 50th anniversary at the same time…what will become of them and the secrets they uncover?
Available an an E-book, paperback on Amazon and soon in high street bookshops
Your Desert: For adults – the comedy drama that crosses paths with a romcom bringing you one man’s journey to attain, love and happiness amidst a high pressured sales environment in a ‘ Company of Fools’. Meet Justin Whalley, his team, friends and the frenetic path of uncomfortable and embarrassing situations, in his attempts to achieve what seems impossible…
Your 4th course – I can only ask if you do purchase any of the above please write a review and thank you n advance in you do buy any copies and please tell your friends and family if you enjoyed it…Happy Christmas to you all..J W Nelson
Out now on Amazon in 12 countries is the adventure story that throws 5 young students attending a summer school in the middle of Sherwood Forest into a world of adventure, action, and good old skulduggery as they compete to open up the secrets the head mistress and the deputy head have been trying to hide…
Coupled with a 50 year occurrence that seems to have returned and no one knows why yet, but the newly formed Pentagon Pirate Gang are determined to find out…
Copies should be available in the books stores in the next couple of weeks.
This is a Young Adult/Middle Grade book that I hope will have a global appeal for its mixture of main protagonists, a story that hopefully captures life at a special school (School of Fruit Teaching – S.O.F.T) as the PPG begin the learn what real powers lay in the middle of the orchards that surround the school and the effect it has on them, the schoolmates and their parents…
A Young Adult book is due out soon…Pentagon Pirate Gang: The Secret of the Orchard..
In the middle of Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire there is a school. The School of Fruit Teaching (S.O.F.T.). 5 young students aged 8-15 embark on a mammoth investigation at the schools summer camp. The secret and many more have been kept from everyone except the people hiding it – The headmistress Mrs Blackfruit and her deputy and right man Mr Thornby.
As the investigation unfolds the newly formed Pentagon Pirate Gang learn that a 50 year old occurrence seems to have returned once more to cast further danger upon them and the other unsuspecting summer school students, and the parents of the five students that have taken up the mantle to put themselves in a zone of danger, mystery and adventure, that is just beginning…
More information on the release of Pentagon Pirate Gang: The Secret of the Orchard will be available soon. (available in book stores and online at Amazon)
Other books by J W Nelson – E-book – Poems for the Festive Season (Amazon only – all ages) and Company of Fools – (available as an E-book and Paperback – on Amazon – adult comedy drama/romcom).
Here is a Poetic summary of the 24 James Bond films thus far (as we’re currently being entertained by film no 25 ‘No Time to Die’. (I’m hoping to see it this weekend)
You can view all 24 Bond Poetic poems (one per film from Dr No in 1963 to Spectre) on this blog or listen them on my podcast – https://anchor.fm/horace-evans8
As we are in Black History month – what does mean to be a father of colour? You could its the same as most other fathers. However looking at at from a personal viewpoint – most Caribbean men my age – their grand parents ere not around in the UK. Maybe your uncles were not either. Plus my parents were in a ‘new country’ here in the UK having left their homes in Jamaica.
What this means I that the ‘extended family’ that say other family who history is from England – will have local aunties, uncles, grandparents maybe nearby. I didn’t and many black father’s won’t either.
It just means there is ‘more weight’ for us to carry as ‘Black fathers’ in a world as we know is difficult for black people to navigate anyway. (for more evidence of this I encourage anyone of any colour to read Michael Holdings thought provoking book : Why We Kneel – How we Rise.
Finally the last few films come to a head of sorts as we learn the ‘author of 007’s pain’ has been the oldest of enemies SPECTRE run my the infamous ESB (Ersnt Stavro Blofeld)…can Bond survive his toughest mental and physical test?
All episodes of the Bond Poetic are available as a Podcast (via Anchor/Spotify) and available on other podcast platforms like Apple and Google.)
The SPECTRE of Defeat…
Bond consumed with M’s death doesn’t want to fall
The answer could lie in Mexico
We hope the ‘writing is not on his wall’
Without approval that is where Bond goes
The new M, cuts Bonds ties
Mallory has his own fights to win
A sinister intelligence plot emerges – the nine eyes
Max Denbigh is no saint – but likes to sin
Sciarra’s wife is the target to aim for
Bond has the Octopus engraved ring
At the secret meeting Bond walks through the door
A name from the past is heard – kill the ‘Pale King’
Hinx replaces Sciarra as the new man
He chases Bond in his DB10
The next stop needs a new plan
007 is on the run again
The Pale King is ‘Mr White’
In Austria there is a chill in the air
A gun and thallium means it’s over for him – good night
His daughter’s life are his final fears
Search for L’ Americain Bond is told
Dr Swann comes into view
Can 007 keep his promise to be bold?
To protect her with every bone and sinew?
Q meets Bond with info from the past
L’Chiffre, Greene, Silva were all the face
How much further will his life last?
The past is the present for Bond to embrace
In Tangier Swann fights through a wall of pain
Her father has evidence of Spectre’s central home
Yes they are here and on the Saharan plain
Its the next stop for 007 to roam
Hinx meets up to test Bond’s devotion
The train fight is a touch of first class
Hinx is ejected- poetry in motion
Bond settles for a martini – in a glass
Tangier is next on the list
The desert is calling 007 and Swann
A classic 1947 RollsRoyce appears from the mist
Taking them both the meet ‘the one’
Oberhauser is steps into the fray
Boasts about his control over Nine Eyes
Bond just about lives another day
Swann saves him from being fried
Yes Oberhauser is really ESB
Bond’s ‘brother’ from a young age
He died once to set himself free
SPECTRE is the platform – yes his very own stage
The explosive escape leaves ESB scarred
To London to take the program off-line
Max is caught; then falls through the bars
Swann is re-captured, and is anything but fine
The MI6 building is ready to blow
One last stunt from Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Bond has a three minute choice – where does he go?
Daniel Craig as 007 stars in the biggest grossing Bond movie ever – over $1billion in sales and its also my personal favourite of the last two decades (plus Goldfinger). The storyline still links together from the previous two films (loosely) and another spike form M’s past comes back to haunt MI6 is spectacular fashion
All episodes of the Bond Poetic are available as a Podcast (via Anchor/Spotify) and available on other podcast platforms like Apple and Google.)
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