Plus ça change

I remember when Margaret Thatcher entered No. 10 with the words of St Francis of Assissi and Tony Blair to the sound of Things can only get better. Both in defiance of reality.

This time it's strong and stable, working arrangements, and new politics.

Ludo

Ready. set,
hundred metre dash, off
before you know,
ready,
ready,
hit-drop-run-run.
wait,
wait
run, run, home. Again
hit-drop-run-caught
out,
oh,
but, angled for though
a surprise,
on the board
playing chess from the inside
not sure where to move
or when, or why,
or whether there’s pleasure
in another piece captured
till, didn’t see that coming,
kicked feather-flight so high
I can see the whole game now
every racket ready to
smash me into the
Netball! Yes!
Game! Match! Tournament!
Victory! in fantasy –
in fact I find
whist too slick for me
I knock,
lay my bones down,
quite dominoed now
told each card to play
in my final cribbage.