Marxist. Trade Unionist. Socialist-feminist. Author. Poet. Speaker. Tutor. RMT ex-Exec. Workers' Liberty. Autie. Bi. PUFC fan.

Anti-Fascism

Travesti

Submitted by Janine on 22 March 2023 at 19:58

Opposing imaginary ribaldry
Detestable protests at a library
Serious, stern of jaw and dour
Objecting to Drag Queen Story Hour
Reckoning kids are groomed and primed -
But why don't they protest at pantomimes?

Crazed Loner

Submitted by Janine on 20 June 2016 at 17:55

R.I.P. Jo Cox MP

Crazed loner
Stay-at-homer
Helpline phoner
Hummer and groaner
Window licker
Timebomb ticker

Deranged and estranged
He's a stabber, a shooter
Overly obsessed with his computer

He's nothing to do with us, you see
No link to white supremacy
Not our responsibility
We're pillars of civility
Not killers, no culpability

We Are Not Heroes

Submitted by Janine on 09 June 2016 at 21:10

We are not heroes, not the valiant sort
We let them take us, fell in to survive
The heroes are the ones who stood and fought

Our bodies packed together frail support
The nudging of her foot kept me alive
But we're not heroes, not the valiant sort

Our best fought underground, our martyrs caught
Resistance from the shadows, fire and strive
The heroes are the ones who stayed and fought

Is "cultural difference" an excuse for sexism? (in English and in French)

Submitted by Janine on 20 October 2015 at 20:14

Originally published on Workers' Liberty's website.

There was a discussion at Workers' Liberty's 'Ideas for Freedom' discussion weekend in 2006 about 'The Left and Cultural Relativism'. The two speakers were Janine Booth and Peter Tatchell. These are the notes from Janine's contribution.

 

Duchess Departed

Submitted by Janine on 25 September 2014 at 20:16

An alliterative ode on the occasion of the passing of an aristocrat

Deborah the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire has died
Did ever a life-end alliterate with such alarming aloofness?
The chatelaine of Chatsworth, champion of chutney, Charles' chum
The Prince's pal passed away peacefully, apparently
In leaving your life, you leave your eulogist loads of licence for lyrical soliloquy
With the death of Debo the doughty, dashing duchess, a dynasty dies
The malodorous Mitfords, mates with Moseley, friends with fascists, hosted by Hitler
Who, she chastised, lacked Churchill's charisma
I'll do the eulogy if they like - but it's unlikely they'd like it a lot
Or even a little. What a loss.