Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) and Taylor Swift “If my lyrics sound like a letter written by Emily Dickinson’s great-grandmother while sewing a lace curtain, that’s me writing in the Quill genre.” ~ Taylor Swift A genealogical link was reported this week between America’s currently most popular singer Taylor Swift, and its most popular female […]

Categories: Celebrities · Poetry

Benjamin Zephaniah (1958 – 2023) “…We can all be refugees Sometimes it only takes a day, Sometimes it only takes a handshake Or a paper that is signed. We all came from refugees Nobody simply just appeared, Nobody’s here without a struggle, Andy why should we live in fer Of the weather or the troubles? […]

Categories: Celebrities · Obituary · Poetry

Amanda Gorman “When day comes, we step out of the shade aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” Heroine of the week was 22-year old poet Amanda Gorman who gave […]

Categories: Poetry

George Floyd  (1973 – 2020) Black Lives Matter I, Too I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in […]

Categories: News · Obituary · Poetry

Clive James (1939 – 2019) Polymath Clive James died this week at the age of 80, after a very long illness.  He was known for his acerbic wit, and produced a prolific quantity of books in his lifetime.  He wrote regular newspaper columns, and was in his heyday a regular personality on our television screens.  […]

Categories: Celebrities · Fixed Stars · Obituary · Poetry

Karma Chameleon No. 1 Emily Bronte/Kate Bush Emily Bronte was in the news this week, so that’s my opportunity to launch the first in a new occasional series “Karma Chameleons”!  She is in the news because it is the bicentenary of the year of her birth.  A row has erupted about the appointment of supermodel […]

Categories: Celebrities · Karmic · Poetry

“The Pre-Raphaelites – Lizzie Siddal” This is the fourth in my series about the Pre-Raphaelites.  In no particular order, the others are:- 11/9/2009: “The Pre-Raphaelites – A Soul Group” 14/10/2012: “The Pre-Raphaelites – John Ruskin” 12/1/2013: “The Pre-Raphaelites – Dante Gabriel Rossetti” As you can see, the last one was four years ago!  But I […]

Categories: Art · Poetry · Soul Groups

Westminster Terror On Wednesday, Westminster Bridge was the scene of a terrorist incident and Parliament and its surrounding buildings were in lockdown. A British born man, Khalid Masood, drove into passersby then tried to enter the gates of Parliament, and stabbed a policeman to death.  Five people died in total, including the perpetrator, and fifty […]

Categories: News · Poetry

Leonard Cohen (1934 – 2016) “But let’s not talk of love or chains and things we can’t untie Your eyes are soft with sorrow Hey, that’s no way to say goodbye” Poet and singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen died this week, providing an emotional distraction from the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. Presidency.  Though he […]

Categories: Astrological Appreciation · Obituary · Poetry · Uncategorized

Bob Dylan “Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight An’ for each an’ ev’ry underdog soldier in the night An’ we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing” ~ Bob Dylan What took them so long to award Bob Dylan the Nobel […]

Categories: Astrological Appreciation · Celebrities · Poetry