Gonna let you all in on a little secret
My real name isn't Jack at all
Charles is the name I was christened with
A late change caused a huge falderal
My seven older sisters ended up in a furor
A last minute change by my dad
Didn't go over well with the seven of them
So this joyful event became sad
His reason for making this last minute change
Was to honour his brother Charley
Who died a big hero in the first World War
Sisters thought the change was too tardy
So they decided to call me Jack anyway
In spite of dad's last minute switch
His reason for making this admirable change
Wasn't reason to change their wish
So keep on calling me Jack my good friendies
It's stuck with me for 87 years
If you call me Charles, I can certainly guarantee
Won't answer unless I've had too many beers!
True story!
Peter Paul Reubens
saw life thru' an artist lens
Westphalian so prolific
Charles I patronage made him tick
In Merry Old England’s fine capital,
where Marx would compose his work “Capital”,
King Charlie the First
faced up to the worst —
a punishment gruesomely capital.
Hull is the great and unique city where I was born
Sitting on the Humber estuary...proud and all alone
Known for keeping Charles I and his army out through courage and bravery
Also the birthplace of William Wilberforce who helped abolish slavery
The most bombed city outside of London during the 2nd World War
This made a strong community stronger even more
With a long and colourful history in shipbuilding, fishing and trading
The old image of Hull is still there ...but it's fading
The docks have been redesigned as shopping centre's or parks
It has an amazing aquarium that's got jellyfish, stingrays and sharks
The music and arts scene in Hull holds its own against the rest
The 2 mile bridge that spans the river is rated amongst the best
There's many green spaces to chill or restaurants to drink and dine in
It's now not unusual for Hull City or FC to score or even get a win
Hull has been rewarded with the City of Culture 2017
The redevelopment of this great city is very welcome but totally unforeseen
Gonna let you all in on a little secret
My real name isn't Jack at all
Charles is the name I was christened with
A late change caused a huge falderal
My seven older sisters ended up in a furor
A last minute change by my dad
Didn't go over well with the seven of them
So this joyful event became sad
His reason for making this last minute change
Was to honour his brother Charley
Who died a big hero in the first World War
Sisters thought the change was too tardy
So they decided to call me Jack anyway
In spite of dad's last minute switch
His reason for making this admirable change
Wasn't reason to change their wish
So keep on calling me Jack my good friendlies
It's stuck with me for 79 years
If you call me Charles, I can certainly guarantee
Won't answer unless I've had too many beers!
True story!
© Jack Ellison 2015
Seeing sculpture compared to painting
Contrasted imagery alluding to victory
With victor being both man and animal
Subservience dominates both images
Bare head and feet noticeable to viewer
A horse head raised; the other lowered
Who are these men and beasts?
Smug facial expression common to both
Though can a horse hold airs superior
To rider upon his back, dominated?
Both larger than life, one four legged
One dressed aristocratically, they stand
Victorious in unknown battle, while other
Remains forever weary, worn, and tired
We shall never know their stories
Their images captured for posterity
Eternally the dominant and dominated
Two men and two horses compared
Two lives and circumstances contrasted
Beasts and their mounts and masters
Of human flesh; of horse flesh together
Beautiful this artwork upon mine soul.
© 2014 CM Davidson
[On the comparison of Donatello’s Equestrian Monument of Erasmo Da Narni (1443-1453) and Anthony van Dyck’s Charles I at the Hunt (1635)]