ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

NO PLACE FOR COMMON SENSE

“In Sickness and in Health”, words many of us have said,
proclaiming our vows at the time when we were wed.
An age old pledge to a loved one, joining up for life,
equally given by a husband and a wife.
But, in this wacky world where political correctness rules,
words of common sense are replaced by those from fools.
“In Sickness and in Health” has been branded “too religious”
and in some marriage services could be named litigious.

One school in Seattle calls easter eggs “spring spheres”
causing no offence where Easter strikes deaf ears.
What about “Spotted Dick”, the classical English dessert
now known as “Spotted Richard” so as to cause no hurt.
Would you believe Santas no longer say Ho, Ho, Ho,
derogatory to women, some recruitment firms say so.
Don’t anyone be falling down an open man hole,
this pit is now “utility” or “maintenance”, bless my soul!

The BBC no longer uses the terms “BC” or “AD”
“Before Common Era” and “Common Era” now’s what they’re meant to be.
“Brainstorming” is a no no, replaced by the name “thought showers”,
thus, causing no affront to epileptics with diminished powers.
“Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep” and “Chalkboards” are very much in vogue,
reference to previous titles makes one a discriminatory rogue.
It’s getting fairly close to lighting up the “Holiday Tree”
though it is and will always be a Christmas Tree to me.

It seems the European Parliament has vetoed “Mrs” or “Miss”,
I just sit back and wonder, what nonsense is this.
We no longer have “Fairy” Penguins and no one gives a “Maiden” speech,
these offend sensitivities and are certainly in breach.
Enid Blyton suffered from the political correctness watchdog,
having the temerity to script a golliwog.
“Economically challenged” now describes all poor
while “residentially flexible” labels the homeless ever more.

Cultural and gender issues somehow rule the roost
while the apathetic majority are easily seduced.
Mark Twain’s words on the subject still resonate today
and I’ll repeat them in verbatim if I may :-
“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is run by smart people who are putting us on
or by imbeciles who really mean it”.
Words of truth and wisdom Mark, that surely are no con
which we should all take note of, I for one admit. Jeff Thorpe 20/11/13 ©

G’day Jeff, not a truer word has been spoken. I’m not one given to using bad language in company or besmirching people in general. But I am getting up toward the pointy end of my life and have never heard so much crap that comes from people who are supposed to be the higher educated leaders.
Good poem hey.

TTFN

agree totally - its gone beyond the grounds of ridiculous or even of being amusing it now smacks of sheer stupidity although to be fair I had a sheep that I called Fat-boy but I changed his name to Harley because I didn't want to cause him emotional distress and hang ups in his later life. True story

G'day Dave, Hi Maureen

Thanks for your interest.
Yes, the world's going to pot isn't it. (With apologies to Harley)

Regards, Jeff

Yes Jeff it's crazy I agree. Whoops! Is it politically incorrect to say crazy? I remember reading, many years ago, long before the term political correctness became part of our mainstream language, that collectors of household garbage in America were called Sanitation Engineers. I laughed at the time and thought "Only in America." How wrong I was.
Wazza