Brexit Vote

“In a revolutionary epoch, sometimes men taste every novelty, sicken of them all, and return to ancient principles so long disused that they seem refreshingly hearty when they are rediscovered.” 

― Russell Kirk, The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot

We have taken every novelty

and sickened of them all,

the big ideas, of revolution

now seem shrunk and small. 

And so we have returned once more

to ancient rules and ways

and principles we knew before

the childish, changing days.

We have tasted every novelty

and sickened of them all,

returned to habits, long disused

in answer to the call

for nourishment and sustenance

and order, after the craze.

And there’s something refreshingly hearty

and something worthy of praise

in the principles and rituals

which brought harmony, after the fall.

We have taken every novelty

and sickened of them all

and we do not seek utopia

every diamond has its flaw.

We have taken every novelty

and they’re rotten to the core

we’ll make do with plain old sovereignty

and earthly common law.