I AM naturally optimistic, and have been putting my optimism to good use in the last few days organising loads of gigs from the end of February onwards.

If you’re in Shoreham, Edinburgh, Durham, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, York, Crewe, Manchester, Hull, Calstock, Mevagissey or Falmouth, I’ll see you in February and March, with loads more to come. All details at facebook.com/attilathestockbroker
Of course, I’ll be doing this one:
 
They had a Conservative Party
While people were gasping their last
And now it’s all out in the open
They’ll say it was all in the past
Their press will pretend to be outraged
Then revert to one theme: refugees.
Can’t we just put the whole lot on trial
And sack their pet editors? Please?
 
Do we want a banana republic
Run by toffs and their press baron friends
With a nonsense electoral system
Which serves only one party’s ends?
Corruption and pitiless power —
Opposition in sad disarray.
Time Scotland and Wales left us to it:
It was never their choice anyway.

I was called “a woke poet” online the other day, and it wasn’t meant as a compliment. It can sometimes be very insightful analysing how words develop new meanings in popular culture, and how others then try and change those meanings.