Poor Me. Poor Us.

With the release of this year's story about refugees, (in part) I offer up this poem, which was written in late 2018.
I think it speaks for itself.

Spotlight to me

Welcome to the reinforced

Justifications

Of a suburban/urban lifestyle

With its exaggerated persecutions

And its trivial transgressions

Its play-acting martyrdom

And back strapping faux symbolisms.

Mirroring a supposed horror

Which few can relate

Or respect the depths

Of its true origins.

Justify thy existence

Thy lightweight complaints

Made heavy via exaggeration

The ‘Much ado about nothing’ moans

Hollow tantrums and cat ‘o’ nine tails

Victimisation.

Yeah, I’ll cry too

And make no change

As the currency of pity

Yields more gravitas than responsibility.

More Here

https://www.anthonyjlangfordbooks.com/a-refugees-rage

Read Reviews Here

Purchase this book and others Here

Audio Story - Cycle of Poverty

My first Audio Story

The Loop

5 minutes

Feedback appreciated. I might do more of these if people want them.



Listen on  Soundcloud or YouTube below.

Please Share if you are able. Thank you!

From the story collection, Pseudo Stars, available here.

Book Trailers Bonanza! In time for Christmas.

With Christmas around the corner and this year's A Refugee's Rage, let's look back on previous book trailers, in order of release. 

All are available to purchase, here

Bottomless River - 2012

Caged without Walls - 2013

For your pleasure - 2015

Pseudo Stars - 2017

Allowing a love to die is not murder - 2018

A Refugee's Rage - Pre-Release Text Version - 2019

Order NOW and receive a FREE pdf story! Plus all proceeds to charity.

www.anthonyjlangfordbooks.com

A Refugee's Rage - Full Vision/Out Now Version - 2019

A Refugee's Rage - Trailer from Anthony J. Langford on Vimeo.

Perfect as a Christmas Gift!

All books plus free downloads available at
https://www.anthonyjlangfordbooks.com/books

Brexiteers: The Only Solution

Brexiteers: The Only Solution

This story first appeared in the Telegraph Post, November 29, 2019

by Robert Mandel, UK
'It was great for the protest. Now what the fuck do we do with it?

Unable to agree on whether to leave the European Union or not, Britain has opted to agree on one thing; that they cannot agree.

“There’s only one viable solution left to us,’ said one Tory member anonymously. ‘We are drawing up plans to divide Britain, much like Ireland. The I’s will have it. And the No’s will have it.”

A leaked source shows that blueprints have already been drafted, with the British public soon to be able to vote on the new plans. One half of Britain will stay with the E.U., the other half will become the Independent States of Britain. ISIB.

No doubt there will be much contention but as some people on the street we’ve already spoken to, think it’s the only way to satisfy everybody.

‘An excellent idea. We should have done it years ago.’

You went to the same printer, didn't you? 

‘It’s a truly superb notion. I can shop locally and spend my good old English pounds then I can go across the border and spend some Euro’s without having the nuisance of long-distance travel. Wonderful!’

‘I’m all for it mate. Hate mixing with those bloody whiners anyway. The majority get the vote but that’s not good enough for ‘em. They hate democracy. They’re bloody fascists is what they are!’

This lot just confused everybody

Some are saying that England should remain for the English and palm Scotland off to the E.U. ‘No one really wants them anyway,’ said one conservative.

We asked one local M.P., with a sense of flippancy, 'Will you build a wall?' He replied, quite seriously, 'That's a bit much but a barb wired fence might be useful.'

According to one source, the entire process has already cost 78 billion pounds. Thus far. 

From what we’ve already seen, though attractive to some, this solution won’t work. The only logistical notion is to divide all four Semi-Nations, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland down the middle. Half of the territory to each half. 

Now some will argue that London, being a powerhouse of economic earnings, will be an unfair advantage to those who possess it. So a possible solution is to exclude London from this division by simply dividing London in half. The same could be applied to other major cities like Edinburgh and Cardiff. Or simple divide every single town into two. Instead of having one town butcher, there could be two! This could stimulate all economies. A logical solution. Also a logistical nightmare.

Make Britain Hate Again
(Kind of achieved already)

While many hope for an easier way forward, it’s clear that democracy is just not viable in the modern day. As soon as one party wins an election, the other says the system must be rigged and everyone is at each other's throats. Unless people opt for a Communist/Socialist State, which may not be so far-fetched, then sanctioned division may be the only way to quell the discontent. Or jump the ten year queue and join the China/Russia Super States. Communism is coming anyway.

For now...

Will the Brexiteers have it, or the Musketeers?

Follow the discussion at ...

#DivisionIsUnity

#RebuildAdriansWall

#BarbWireIsTheNewBlack

#DemocracyIsSo20thCentury

#BackInTheUSSR

#China1TheWest0

1960's Brisbane - Nostalgia Video No. 8

Nostalgia Video Series

No. 8 / 10

1960's in Brisbane

See previous Nostalgia Videos

Mental Health Month - Reaching for help - and failing

Mental Health Month

I'm Sorry, Not Sorry

??

I’m sorry to hear about that

She posted about her sick aunt

Dying really

She hinted at that aspect

But wasn’t it already obvious?

‘I’m sorry to hear about that’

They said

Sad face emoji

She stared at her phone

And it’s comments

And felt suddenly and overwhelmingly, empty.

He texted his ex

Again

In a variation of detail

About his physiological problems

Brought about by real life obstacles

Or were they just the catalyst

For the exaggerated stress

He was enduring?

He knew

As did she

That it was long standing issues

That had brought him to this juncture

Almost to his knees

And that’s what he didn’t want

To be ground to a halt

Nervous breakdown

Or whatever the modern term was.

‘I’m sorry to hear about that’

She wrote

He went on some more

But quickly understood the futility

His pleas and requests

Fell on not deaf ears

As she had heard him just fine.

He was on his own

And had no idea

How to make any of it better

He’d never felt more alone in his life.

Sorry

Not Sorry

‘R U Ok’

No, I’m not

But what will you do about it?

What will anyone do?

‘You need to get some help

Have you seen a doctor?’

It’s the first port of call

Doctors come long before

Confession to a friend

Pills come long before

Public admittance

Battles are fought

Long before fragments of defeat

Are admitted.

‘I’m sorry about that’

Makes them feel better

Do they really care?

What can they do anyway?

Sometimes, plenty

Simple practical steps

Take part of the life load off

Offer to pick up a chore

Insist on a personal visit

Something

If only a small amount

Rather than buzzwords

Spewed out like an auto-correct response.

‘I’m sorry to hear about that

Now, where was I?’

© ajl 2019

This poem and 9 others are now available in a pdf for download, called All Empires Crumble.
All are from 2019.

exsomnis by m_tau

Previous entries in this Series on Mental Health


Thank you to M. Tau for permission to use these specific visuals in this series. 
See her profile at DeviantArt