In the European Parliament the other week Nigel Farage of UKIP launched a scathing personal attack on President of the EU Herman van Rompuy, as well as totally denigrating his nation, Belgium.
He compared the man's charisma to a 'damp rag' and his appearance to that of a 'low grade bank clerk'. He questioned whether anyone in Europe had actually heard of the man. Apart from being exremely petty, I wonder how many people have heard of Farage. A vox pop in Merthyr would probably lead to confusions with the Severn Barrage. The demeaning of Belgium as a 'non-country' was even more baffling given that they produce the best beer in Europe (not to mention waffles and chocolate!), and have produced many great artists including surrealist painter Magritte and brilliant singer-songwriter Jacques Brel.
Farage's own simile was a cliche, while van Rompuy is a prolific writer of
haiku and a number are worthy attempts at a difficult form. I imagine Farage's stabs at Oriental culture would be limited to harpooning sushi!
While I have much sympathy with van Rompuy , I have none at all with his ridiculously high salary and the edifice he represents. With the recession, the EU has been duly exposed as what many on the Left always believed it was : a capitalist institution of the more powerful nation-states.
The so-called free movement of labour - which is carefully restricted in certain countries - has merely meant an opportunity to exploit cheap labour across the borders. Workers are driven according to economic situations in given countries, exploited fully by employers if they are legally living there, or by unscrupulous agencies if they are not.
Moreover, the facade of unity in the EU has completely broken down. The example of Greece, with its centre-left Government is a warning to all.
In Greece's dire situation of recession and debt, the powerful nation-states which control the monetary union are acting like the IMF and making dictatorial demands on that country. Wide-ranging cuts must be made in public services, so loans can be re-paid. Where is the EU's commitment to the people of Greece and their already low-paid public service workers who perform so many invaluable jobs? The true nature of this monetarist club has been revealed and its priorities clearly shown.
Plaid Cymru's volte face on S. Ireland shows changing perceptions. Their prominent spokespeople used to laud the 'Tiger' economy,seeing it as a model Wales should aspire to. Now, the South is seen as a warning of what can happen to a free enterprise economy dependent on EU grants and outside investment. But - because they are a mixed economy party and not socialists - their conclusions are never based on the true nature of the EU itself and its constant efforts to bolster capitalism, ignoring the plight of the most vulnerable in society. Let's hope the Unions in Greece don't give up their fight.
I've visited many countries in Europe and lived and worked in Germany for a year. Even after visiting Japan and gaining some Oriental perspective, I don't know what it is to be 'European'. In Germany, the arrogance of the nation-state was akin to that of France and Britain, treating their Gastarbeiter with utter disdain (the clue's in the word 'Guest-workers').
The places I've felt a kindred spirit have undoubtedly been Ireland and Brittany. The importance of literature to the Irish people was immediately apparent when I had poems published in the 'Irish Press', a daily paper based in Dublin and there's nothing to beat music sessions in pubs where musicians join in and singers get up from the audience to deliver the most moving ballads.Brittany, with its Fest Noz and many folk festivals combining traditional music and dance, also seems to have that Celtic spirit emanating from the emotions.
I also felt that here too were nations struggling against the odds to keep and further their identities. In Breizh (Brittany) against a French state which refuses to see Brezhoneg (Breton) as an official language and in Ireland where the struggle for a united country still goes on.
These are haiku I wrote about our stay with a native Breton-speaker last summer. I saw a number of the 'Skol Diwan' ( Infant and Primary schools), which existed despite getting no funding from the French Government.
HAIKU BREIZH
Pyramid sandcastles :
scooped, sculpted and symmetrical.
Next day untraceable.
Calm resting harbour ;
one bay where the waves stampede :
this moody coastline.
Brown fold of galette,
sweet drawn lace of the crepe :
window of palate.
Seaweed clawed in clumps
by the large metallic crabs :
medicine for land.
Runners, fishermen,
twitchers on the low cliff path :
finding horizons.
Skol Diwan, house-schools,
the language like tough marram :
sand always moving.
Dance of finger-link,
festival of village field :
head drum and belly bagpipe.
Homes shuttered up,
owners south for the summer,
yet swallows are here.
Fields of rye, church spires :
sudden city-blocks stacked up,
end of road war-ships.
Beggars on the streets,
city once war-flattened :
caps, deserted nests.
He compared the man's charisma to a 'damp rag' and his appearance to that of a 'low grade bank clerk'. He questioned whether anyone in Europe had actually heard of the man. Apart from being exremely petty, I wonder how many people have heard of Farage. A vox pop in Merthyr would probably lead to confusions with the Severn Barrage. The demeaning of Belgium as a 'non-country' was even more baffling given that they produce the best beer in Europe (not to mention waffles and chocolate!), and have produced many great artists including surrealist painter Magritte and brilliant singer-songwriter Jacques Brel.
Farage's own simile was a cliche, while van Rompuy is a prolific writer of
haiku and a number are worthy attempts at a difficult form. I imagine Farage's stabs at Oriental culture would be limited to harpooning sushi!
While I have much sympathy with van Rompuy , I have none at all with his ridiculously high salary and the edifice he represents. With the recession, the EU has been duly exposed as what many on the Left always believed it was : a capitalist institution of the more powerful nation-states.
The so-called free movement of labour - which is carefully restricted in certain countries - has merely meant an opportunity to exploit cheap labour across the borders. Workers are driven according to economic situations in given countries, exploited fully by employers if they are legally living there, or by unscrupulous agencies if they are not.
Moreover, the facade of unity in the EU has completely broken down. The example of Greece, with its centre-left Government is a warning to all.
In Greece's dire situation of recession and debt, the powerful nation-states which control the monetary union are acting like the IMF and making dictatorial demands on that country. Wide-ranging cuts must be made in public services, so loans can be re-paid. Where is the EU's commitment to the people of Greece and their already low-paid public service workers who perform so many invaluable jobs? The true nature of this monetarist club has been revealed and its priorities clearly shown.
Plaid Cymru's volte face on S. Ireland shows changing perceptions. Their prominent spokespeople used to laud the 'Tiger' economy,seeing it as a model Wales should aspire to. Now, the South is seen as a warning of what can happen to a free enterprise economy dependent on EU grants and outside investment. But - because they are a mixed economy party and not socialists - their conclusions are never based on the true nature of the EU itself and its constant efforts to bolster capitalism, ignoring the plight of the most vulnerable in society. Let's hope the Unions in Greece don't give up their fight.
I've visited many countries in Europe and lived and worked in Germany for a year. Even after visiting Japan and gaining some Oriental perspective, I don't know what it is to be 'European'. In Germany, the arrogance of the nation-state was akin to that of France and Britain, treating their Gastarbeiter with utter disdain (the clue's in the word 'Guest-workers').
The places I've felt a kindred spirit have undoubtedly been Ireland and Brittany. The importance of literature to the Irish people was immediately apparent when I had poems published in the 'Irish Press', a daily paper based in Dublin and there's nothing to beat music sessions in pubs where musicians join in and singers get up from the audience to deliver the most moving ballads.Brittany, with its Fest Noz and many folk festivals combining traditional music and dance, also seems to have that Celtic spirit emanating from the emotions.
I also felt that here too were nations struggling against the odds to keep and further their identities. In Breizh (Brittany) against a French state which refuses to see Brezhoneg (Breton) as an official language and in Ireland where the struggle for a united country still goes on.
These are haiku I wrote about our stay with a native Breton-speaker last summer. I saw a number of the 'Skol Diwan' ( Infant and Primary schools), which existed despite getting no funding from the French Government.
HAIKU BREIZH
Pyramid sandcastles :
scooped, sculpted and symmetrical.
Next day untraceable.
Calm resting harbour ;
one bay where the waves stampede :
this moody coastline.
Brown fold of galette,
sweet drawn lace of the crepe :
window of palate.
Seaweed clawed in clumps
by the large metallic crabs :
medicine for land.
Runners, fishermen,
twitchers on the low cliff path :
finding horizons.
Skol Diwan, house-schools,
the language like tough marram :
sand always moving.
Dance of finger-link,
festival of village field :
head drum and belly bagpipe.
Homes shuttered up,
owners south for the summer,
yet swallows are here.
Fields of rye, church spires :
sudden city-blocks stacked up,
end of road war-ships.
Beggars on the streets,
city once war-flattened :
caps, deserted nests.
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