The Same In The Other

 The Same In The Other

The essence of Art is ‘the same in the other,’

The essence of ‘rights’ ‘I’m the same as my brother’,

And yet as ‘the same’ is not quite ‘the same’

We must play a spot the difference game,

For ‘silence is violence’,

Except when the other

Commits some crime,

And then we must pass the time,

By making the first, original claim,

While trotting out the line

That sentences should be stiffer, 

For those who insist we differ.

And those who never fail to mention,

These differences of sameness,

By not remaining silent 

And seeking to draw to attention

To things which seem quite plain,

Are also somewhat violent, 

And my non silent brother,

Despite his sameness, is no relation of mine,

For he causes great harm and alarm,

Such that our brothers, in their difference, need protection,

Not just from those they choose to murder and maim,

But from him who confuses what is rational,

With what is ‘far right’ and national.

For we mustn’t attempt to apportion blame,

On difference, only on same. 

Dressing For The Collection Of A Teapoy

How to dress when taking collection

Of an item from an auction,

Is not a matter on which much reflection

Is usually required,

But one yearns to be admired,

When taking possession of a teapoy.

One wishes to convey the air

Of a connoisseur

Who knows that next season teapoys will be de rigueur.

So one must spend time deciding what to wear,

And yet take great care

Not to give the impression 

One has a mad obsession.

Tweed is essential as a foundation,

And various shades of green,

Should be given consideration,

For shoes, a sensible brown brogue

Think of our late queen,

Rather than something from Vogue.

For you wish to imply

The object you’ve come to collect

Will be the star of next month's magazine,

And yet,

Somewhere you know and regret,

That the publication in question

Is the Antiques Trade Gazette.