Category Archives: Death

Death

Winter

Posted on March 3, 2013 by

A bit like being winded by a whack in the solar plexus, this poem takes the wind out of your sails – and leaves you gasping. Clive James’s wit and humour of have always been rapier sharp. But here, his … Continue reading →

Posted in Achilles, Death, Life, Odysseus, Poetry, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dead Mum or Dinosaurs

Posted on February 23, 2013 by

I was debating with a friend yesterday whether he should feel any more concerned by the beliefs and values of his dead mum as the behaviours of dinosaurs. Both belong to the past; we live in the present. And soon … Continue reading →

Posted in Achilles, Children, Death, Life, Odysseus, Psychology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The 3 Big Questions in Life

Posted on January 8, 2013 by

There are only three questions that really matter in life… So said Britain’s oldest man on his 109th birthday. They are: 1) Where did I come from? 2) Who am I? 3) Where am I going? He died yesterday at … Continue reading →

Posted in Achilles, Death, Life, Sport | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rights Gone Wrong

Posted on December 15, 2012 by

Rights are all well and good, but sometimes they lead you to the wrong places. Generally I’m with John Stuart Mill: “Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Ethics, Life, Philosophy, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Moment in the Sun

Posted on September 1, 2012 by

A bit morbid perhaps, but the redoubtable Philosophy Now magazine does throw up some interesting angles on death. Some say, along with religion, that the main reason philosophy exists, is millennia of thinking folk coping with their own mortality. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Life, Work | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Ordinary Day to Remember

Posted on July 22, 2012 by

Scooting around Nothing profound Passing the day Having a play Boy and his dad Momentarily sad I’m in my prime His smile is sublime But time is finite One day will be twilight And then away So remember this day. … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Death, Life, Odysseus, Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Death Becomes Us

Posted on April 19, 2012 by

I’m reading the ‘Death’ edition of the redoubtable Philosophy Now magazine. And a bone-rattlingly good read it is too. Death dissected through metaphor, thought experiments, cool logic and rational argument. The core issue, this issue: as medical technology advances should … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Ethics, Life, Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Powerpoint like an Egyptian

Posted on April 18, 2012 by

Why did ancient Egyptians have two left feet? Ernst Gombrich provides a fascinating answer in ‘The Story of Art’ – to make sure you had two good feet in the afterlife. The art of the Pharoahs’ is in some senses … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Death, Life, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pigeon Toed

Posted on February 5, 2012 by

Cat sat Glancing sideways Next to pigeon toes Facing skywards A scatter of feathers Betrays the act The plump bird Too often at seed Had not heard Soft paws Presage sharp claws At his final feed. Cleaning the fish tank, … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Life, Odysseus, Poetry | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Fear of Dying

Posted on December 24, 2011 by

A good friend’s mother died last week. But we went to the footie together on Wednesday, as we’d planned despite – and because of it. We didn’t talk much about it, but talking to others, one of the things in … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment