FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006

The Handstand February March issue will be emerging gradually during the forthcoming weeks as I have had to take a break from sitting at the computer day in day out. I was even in danger of loosing my sense of humour, in an excessive depression. What is the matter with me? Ignorant of politics, a solitary life bringing up children on my own, a poet going beyond the boundaries of ordinary mental life - witness in my old age now to American and British war crimes, military crimes, the loss of life for thousands of citizens in a terrorist war built on the age old history of colonial predators, national politics that constrains none from a surfeit of luxury and polution that has damaged this world, the radiation sickness of children, the torture of men and women, the brass lies of presidents and prime ministers. The newspapers themselves, have become catelogues of sadistic compassion on social and personal private catastrophe, life histories and opinions that wash away in the morning as so much rain and trash in the gutters. Is the entire world besotted with a momentary curiousity, that may on the other hand develop into a corrosive obsession ? Anyway I personally have been recently overwhelmed with sorrow and an inability to communicate . I offer regards to all my readers, I won't let you or my contributors down if I can avoid it. I was recently accused of fascism for refusing to broach bloggers privacy rights, that's a bit of a laugh isn't it? May I have laughter again, even if only derisory, and may I continue to witness and enjoy a much needed demonstration of derision that I see in this photograph, as two boys laugh cynically at soldiers(Prince Harry's boys!) who invite them to "join up" to play their killing game.