Dispatches for the Colonial Office

LogoSophia Magazine – A Pilgrim's Journal of Life, Literature and Love

A Cruel Tease

The wind turned, leaves flew

But then stillness, more summer heat -

Where are you, autumn?

Fear and Anger Down at the Post Office - poem

Lawrence Hall

LogoSophia Magazine – A Pilgrim's Journal of Life, Literature and Love

Fear and Anger Down at the Post Office

I wouldn’t mind running errands in town

If there were a town, but there isn’t

Only isolated remnants among the ruins

The tin-barn tattoo joint, gas stations, a vape shop

Sometimes in the post office a drunk sleeps on the floor

Beneath the table with a cheap pen on a chain

You can be fined for stealing that federal pen

But double-tap-bombing other nations is cool

Outside the post office loom larger signs:

VEHICLES AND THEIR

CONTENTS ARE SUBJECT

TO INSPECTION WHEN

ENTERING, LEAVING, OR

WHILE PARKED WITHIN

THIS RESTRICTED AREA.

ENTERING INTO THIS AREA

CONSTITUTES CONSENT TO

THE INSPECTION.

(39 C.F.R. PART 232.1 (b)(2)

And

U.S. PROPERTY

TRESPASSING

In a patriotic red, white and blue color scheme

With super-high testosterone levels

Once upon a time visiting the post office

For letters and newspapers and Christmas stamps

Did not make a government fearful of its people

Or a people fearful of their government

The drunk snores peacefully

Third Cowboy from the Left - poem

Lawrence Hall

LogoSophia Magazine – A Pilgrim's Journal of Life, Literature and Love

Third Cowboy from the Left

An Ageing Actor’s One Regret

Julius Caesar was left on the cutting room floor

Lucky Ned Pepper was shot off his horse

Hamlet talked too much – oh, what a bore!

Doctor Watson got in the way, of course

As an unnamed messenger I was the best:

I spotted the approach of Birnham Wood

And the charging enemy in Beau Geste

I played lesser parts, and I was good

But, oh! If only (better than High Noon)

I could have been

A cowboy at the bar in the Long Branch Saloon

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Ever England - annual repost for Battle of Britain Day

Lawrence Hall

Ever England

For Battle of Britain Day

Brave Hurricanes and Spits still claw and climb

Far up into the English summer sky

At the lingering end of a golden time

As wild young lads and aging empires die

The Hood and the Rodney still the Channel guard

Against the strident Men of Destiny

Then shellfire falls; the helm is over hard

But the brave old ships keep the Narrow Sea

Dear Grandpa and the boys sport thin tin hats

In Sunday afternoon’s invasion drill

Gram says he’s too damned old for all of that

But she too smells the smoke of Abbeville

Faith does not pass with ephemeral time:

Brave Hurricanes and Spits still claw and climb

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Barbie's Slide Rule - Sine, Cosine, Barbie!

Lawrence Hall

LogoSophia Magazine – A Pilgrim's Journal of Life, Literature and Love

Barbie’s Slide Rule

for VB

I will believe in progress when Mattel

Produces for little children a working slide rule

In Barbie pink

Go Forth and Be Surprised - poem

Lawrence Hall

LogoSophia Magazine – A Pilgrim's Journal of Life, Literature and Love

“Go Forth and Be Surprised”

24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The dismissal from Mass as it was

As it should be

As it will be again

(Your scribbler mutters “Harrumph!” at this point

Like the cranky old man he is):

Celebrant: Dominus vobiscum

The people: Et cum spiritu tuo

Celebrant: Ite, missa est

The people: Deo gratias

A typical modern variant:

The Lord be with you

And with thy spirit

Go forth to love and serve the Lord

Thanks be to God

But today I heard it as:

The Lord be with you

And with thy spirit

Go forth and be surprised

“And be surprised”

I don’t think the priest actually said that; if he did then Miz Busy was on her Orwellian telescreen buzzing to the bishop immediately.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

A Guide to Family Photography - poem

Lawrence Hall

LogoSophia Magazine – A Pilgrim's Journal of Life, Literature and Love