Tag Archives: Oxford

MIDWINTER’S DAY IN THE BOTANIC GARDENS

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Universal Octopus

Hippophaewith clusters of orange berrieson spiky twigs. Set in this ancient, yellowstone wall,which separates the formal walksfrom the marsh garden to the south,is the gateway (with gate long gone).At its base, nerines – all mauves and reds –spill over on … Continue reading →

Posted in Blondin, Oxford Blues | Tagged Blondin, Botanic Gardens, Brian Taylor, Cherwell, Magdalen, magnolia, medicinal garden, Merton, mid-winter, Oxford, Oxford Blues, winter jasmine, yew tree | Leave a comment

ARMISTICE DAY

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Universal Octopus

“Died some pro patria non dulce non et decor.”So Ezra Pound adapted Horace’s linesfor those whose sufferings for their nationhad bred a dull, dark, painful generationwith gloria cauterised from their minds. In the calendar their deaths are still recorded.Poppies and … Continue reading →

Posted in Oxford Blues | Tagged Armistice Day, bombs, deaths, dust, Ezra Pound, Flanders, gloria, grief, human litter, Martyr's Memorial, medals, November, Oxford, Oxford Blues, past and present, poppies, pro patria, services, spirits, St Giles, transcendental | Leave a comment

MAGDALEN

Posted on September 29, 2020 by Universal Octopus

In the Fellows’ Gardens,past the Deer Park,a willow twists and stretchesout of a brown poollike a giant Nāgatrailing garlands of green lace. Along the avenues of Addison’s Walk,among birch and beech,chestnuts stretch out their brancheslike semaphores,and hang their leaves like … Continue reading →

Posted in Oxford Blues | Tagged Academics, beech, birch, chestnuts, Deer Park, living, Magdalen, Michaelmas, Odysseus, Oxford, Oxford University, World's End | Leave a comment

WAITING

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Universal Octopus

Magdalen’s groundsare full of life,full of space. Space, which is mownand cleared,tended and enclosed,its waterways unchoked,brown and sparkling clear. It is home to ducksand coots,to dragonflies and deer. Grass and paths and gatesand streamsand yesterday’s undergraduatesare waiting. Not for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Oxford Blues | Tagged being, dragonflies, ducks, future, Magdalen, Oxford, Oxford Blues, past, peace, space, undergradutes, waiting, waterways, Yes! | Leave a comment

AREOPAGITICA

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Universal Octopus

The Vice Chancellor is leaving!And the mourners go about the streets,throwing their mortar boards in the airand waving their gownslike bullfighters’ capes. In the Vivisection Laboratory,the faintest of grey lightsslants through the bars of cageswhere animals waitto be scientifically torturedfor … Continue reading →

Posted in Oxford Blues | Tagged Chancellor, God, laboratory, makind, Oxford, Oxford Blues, scientifically tortured, Vice, vivisection | Leave a comment

POST IMPERIAL BLUES

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Universal Octopus

A terrorist gets his way by violence. Like Alexander,he would prefer a city to surrender peacefully.Like Alexander,he will destroy it if it doesn’tand enslave its population. A successful terrorist,like a successful leopard,does not change his spots. A pugilist can break … Continue reading →

Posted in Oxford Blues | Tagged Alexander, Congo, don, footprints, leopard, lions, massacre, Nigeria, Oxford, post imperial, poverty, Rwanda, statistics, student, terrorist | Leave a comment

MAKE THE MOST OF IT

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Universal Octopus

Said the Junior Dean. What is “It”that we should make the most of it?What have wethat we can justly boast of it? We have inherited our share of wealth;and karma and good sensehave brought us health. Time weighs not on … Continue reading →

Posted in Oxford Blues | Tagged ashes, Brian Taylor, Desires, good sense, health, It, karma, Oxford, Oxford Blues, parable, shadows, talent, Time, too late, wealth | Leave a comment

BLONDIN

Posted on August 18, 2019 by Universal Octopus

“Blondin” is a like a large box of tasty organic delicacies, which you dip in and out of at your leisure – not something to be attempted at one sitting. The poems deal with many facets of life, from glimpses of the cosmic, to the scent of the breeze on a local Cornish lane. Whatever your taste- whether it be wit, insight, or the Tao, you’ll find something to engage you. Continue reading →

Posted in Blondin | Tagged atheist, Blondin, Book Reviews, Buddhist, deathless, eternal springs, good and evil, good friend, humour, insight, Now, organic, Oxford, poetry, Tao, Truth, verse, wit | 1 Comment

LABEL IT CORRECTLY

Posted on March 16, 2019 by Universal Octopus

In St Peter’s graveyardthe bones have labels. The labels are incised in marble or slate.The coming together of the bones is recorded.(God breathed on those bones.)The dislocation of the bones is recorded.(God stopped breathing.)The length of time in betweenis calculated … Continue reading →

Posted in Oxford Blues | Tagged age, Blondin, bonekeeper, bones, breath, God, graveyard, Oxford, Oxford Blues | Leave a comment

LEARNING

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Universal Octopus

Learning out and learning inboth from now and here begin. Going back to change the clockyesterday’s secrets will not unlock. Writing plans on your diary’s pagemakes nothing happen (except old age). Singing old songs,reciting old parts,rights no wrongs,breeds more false … Continue reading →