The dog ate my homework.

Well, it's an old excuse and a good one, so why not use it? Anyway, it sounds better than the real reason there's not been an update for the last month - my modem died just after posting the last issue, and I've only just been able to afford to buy a new one (holidays tend to have that effect on my bank account). But, I now have a nice spanking new tiny modem sitting in the PC Card slot, so I guess I ought to get on with this week's recommendation, whcih I'm sure you've all been eagerly awaiting for the last month, right?

First, a bit of news: This is going to be one of my last Bartcop Books recommendations, at least for a while. Don't tear your hair out yet - I'm still going to be doing them until the end of August, but then I'm going to be going away for three months, during which time I doubt I'll be able to write any recommendations, and especially keep up with running the website, so you'll have to make do by yourselves for a while. Of course, if there's anyone out there who'd like to take over the running of this when I go then you are most welcome to and I'll be perfectly happy to hand it all over to someone else. Email me (bartcopbooks@onetel.net.uk) if you're interested in taking it over.

Ah, but where am I going, I hear you ask? Yes, I can hear you, even if it is quite faint...  I'm actually going to be in the USA for three months, travelling around, seeing people and hopefully writing a book about the whole experience at the end of it. More on that in a future issue, but just to let you know, I will be at Bartfest in Vegas this September, so hopefully I'll meet some of you there.

What's that sound? Oh, probably just people cancelling their Bartfest bookings now they know the sort of people who'll be turning up there...

OK, I'll stop talking about myself and go on with this week's recommendation.

Heart On The Left by Adrian Mitchell

"Most people ignore poetry
because
most poetry ignores people"
          - Most People...

Yes, it's a collection of poetry. Please don't run away screaming from the computer - it can't hurt you! Anyway, these are different from a lot of the poetry you've read in your life - these are humorous, insightful, real, political, protesting, revolutionary, satirical, romantic, acidic, perceptive and just damn good.

"But it's only bad if you know it's bad,
fish don't want the sky.
If you've spent your whole life in hell or Alabama
you get used to it."
          - from You Get Used To It

This isn't going to be the same as my regular recommendation columns, mainly because it's one where I can let the book itself do a lot of the work. Yes, poetry can help you, because it's much easier to quote from than a whole book - you can just quote bits from several poems, put a few paragraphs inbetween them and you're done. It's a good job I've only got a few more books columns to write - I'm giving away all my secrets!

"Naked words and people dancing together.
There's going to be trouble.
Here come the Poetry Police!"
          - from What Is Poetry?

Adrian Mitchell's career has stretched almost fifty years (just one more to go till he hits his official Golden Jubilee, in fact) and during that time he has been one of the prominent figures on the Left of British culture. However, unlike many other figures on the left he's never shown any desire to be part of the cultural establishment, and as always remained a committed socialist, wanting to see a change in society. However, he's definitely not the stereotypical humourless Left-winger of popular myth, mixing his politics with a wickedly absurd sense of humour.

"It should be the kind that thickens and grows a skin
but the lumpier kind will do.
Anyway, the Royal Albert Hall must be filled with custard."
          - A Good Idea

Beyond the humour, there's also a passionate campaigner for justice, someone who regularly spoke out about the oppression of Chile in the 70s, the effects of Thatcher on Britain in the 80s and the pointless waste of war throughout the years. One of his most famous poems about Vietnam encapsulates this:

"I was run over by the truth one day
Ever since the accident I've walked this way
     So stick my legs in plaster
     Tell me lies about Vietnam."
          - from To Whom It May Concern

His poems regularly castigate the powers behind the world, whatever political persuasion they might profess to be, aware that whoever is in power it is the common man and woman who have to bear the weight of their delusions and have to endure the suffering they wreak on everyone else.

"Freedom to speak if you have nothing to say.
Freedom from fear if you stay in your shelter.
Freedom from want if you do what we want.
Freedom from freedom, freedom from sanity
And freedom, finally, from life."
          - from A Party Political Broadcast on behalf of The Burial Party

I could go on and on, but instead I'll finish off with two more poems, just to give you a final taste of the man's work. There's hundreds of poems in this book, covering all sorts of subjects and I've not even mentioned stuff like 'Peace Is Milk", "A Prayer For The Rulers Of The World" or "The Liberal Christ Gives A Press Conference" all of which I could write about at length. Instead, here are two of my personal favourites - and one of them ("Celia Celia") is one of Britain's Favourite Love Poems (it must be true, the BBC says so). The other's just one of my favourites, but is one of the best descriptions of what it's like to be bullied at school that I've ever seen.

"When I am sad and weary
When I feel all hope has gone
When I walk along High Holborn
I think of you with nothing on"
          - Celia Celia

"I dreamed I was back in the playground, I was about four feet high
Yes dreamed I was back in the playground, standing about four feet high
Well the playground was three miles long and the playground was five miles wide

It was broken black tarmac with a high wire fence all around
Broken black dusty tarmac with a high wire fence running all around
And it had a special name to it, they called it The Killing Ground

Got a mother and a father, they're one thousand years away
The rulers of The Killing Ground are coming out to play
Everybody thinking: 'Who they going to play with today?'

Well you get it for being Jewish
And you get it for being black
Get it for being chicken
And you get it for fighting back
You get it for being big and fat
Get it for being small
Oh those who get it get it and get it
For any damn thing at all

Sometimes they take a beetle, tear off its six legs one by one
Beetle on its black back, rocking in the lunchtime sun
But a beetle can't beg for more, a beetle's not half the fun

I heard a deep voice talking, it had that iceberg sound
'It prepares them for Life' - but I have never found
Any place in my life worse than The Killing Ground."
          - Back in the Playground Blues

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And there we are for another week. And just to slightly make up for my absence, I'd like to break ranks and make a musical recommendation - 1 Giant Leap - after all, how many other albums feature Kurt Vonnegut, Michael Franti, Tom Robbins and Michael Stipe?

Nick