To Orwell Today,

Hi Jackie,

Reading William Barnes "The Leane" I was amazed how his forecasts of the future like Orwell's are so accurate in today's society. Barnes foretold of times when livestock reared in pens, land is big bussiness, making money is paramount, land for development not for recreation, loss of play space, children poor health and unfit. He even forecast tongue in cheek that even the cuckoo would be caged, probably referring to individuals being imprisoned for thinking or asking questions. Barnes even touched on our society's fear of strangers, people's lack of community, insular lives and terror fears of strangers or brothers (interesting his use of Brother). To Barnes his writing was not work but an art expression similiar to music. You can appreciate this as you read his Dorset poem in its original dialect durzet format.

Raymond Wills

Hi Raymond,

I must say that I have never heard of William Barnes but you've intriqued me to go and check out that poem which no doubt will be hard to understand if it is in "dialect durzet". I must admit that sometimes I have comprehension problems with the spoken English language, particularly in parts of London and up north, and no doubt those southern accents are just as "broad" shall we say?

All the best,
Jackie Jura

PS - My husband (he's English) seems to have a steel-clamp memory for pub songs and radio commercials from when he was growing up (born in 1944). Today he was rhyming off a beer commercial: "Coates' comes up from Somerset, Where the cider apples grow..." or words to that effect.

Hi Jackie,

Yeah, I remember it (born 1945) along with "Brooke Bond dividend tea, the doctor says it's good for me, it's good for you, it's good for me, Brooke Bond dividend tea". Funny old world.

Raymond Wills

Hi Raymond,

Orwell's worst nightmare (revealed through his hero Gordon Comstock in Keep the Aspidistra Flying) was to work for an advertising agency composing ads like:

Why should you be thin and white?
And have that washed-out feeling?
Just take hot Bovex every night
— Invigorating--healing!

All the best,
Jackie Jura

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~
website: www.orwelltoday.com & email: orwelltoday@orwelltoday.com

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