Murdered By The State Introduction

My intro to my Kindle eBook of various poems - Murdered By the State.

The State doesn't care about individuals. The State cares about the State. People around the world have woken up to this realization late in 2010 and early in 2011.

From cradle to grave we are never truly free. We are forced to go to school, we are often forced to work in dreary jobs - sometimes for decades. But we have been the authors of our own misfortune by not fighting back. Many people's spirits have been broken by the State as a consequence.

The systems around the world are broken. Just maybe Dylan's hope for change will finally come to pass. The State has killed too many - both literally and emotionally.

- Paul Rance, February 17th, 2011.



Murdered By the State (Amazon.com)

The A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima - Photograph By Peter Rance (1930-2001)

More of my Dad's photos here.

Christina Rossetti's Poem Remember; For All Our Departed Loved Ones

Remember me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you planned:

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve;

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad.
 

Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

The Peace & Freedom Band Nature Video

A video of a 1988 song by The Peace & Freedom Band. Music by Andy Xport (who produced it), with lyrics by me - originally from a poem of mine from around 1980. The song featured on The Peace & Freedom Band album, Life, released in '88.

Adele Becomes A Vegetarian

British singer/songwriter Adele has announced that she has turned vegetarian. Speaking on BBC Radio 1, the Londoner said that she felt a pang of guilt looking into her pet bulldog's eyes when she ate meat, as it reminded her of what other animals went through to feed humans.

More here:
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/09/singer-adele-goes-veg-because-her-dog

Hartlepool Nature And Animal Photographer Andrew Bruce

Hartlepool photographer Andrew Bruce has recently been photographing a variety of animal subjects, including his sister's baby rabbits.

As a long-time vegetarian and lover of all animals, Andrew's feel for his subjects comes through in his enchanting photos.

See his gallery here:

http://www.x53web.co.cc/~andy/

Lack Of Sleep And The Creative Flow

I've not been sleeping too well lately, mainly due to my cat Sparkle waking me up early in the morning. I can't say that not getting my eight hours a day in has harmed my creative output, but does insomnia itself aid the creative process?

Sparkle: "To hell with your creative genius, I want to get even fatter!"