Bradstock reviews Mortifications & Lies

"Mortifications & Lies is an important book, both stylistically and thematically a ground-breaking book. One emerges from the experience of reading it disturbed and challenged. Its haunting rhythms do not easily let go. It reinforces insights many of us already possess, but reminds us of the need to reject complacency, to become involved.

Many of Mansell's books are already recorded on CD. It is to be hoped Mortifications & Lies will soon follow suit."

Margaret Bradstock, Five Bells, Volume 12, no 2, Autumn 2005, p48

the general becomes

do what I say
and you will be free

do what I say
exactly
and you will be free

love me
and you will be free

love me and only me
this way
and you will be free

vote this way
and you will be free

spend this way
incur & repay debt
this way
and you will be free

you in the deserts
you will be free

follow my lead freely
and you will be free

hate these
fight these
and you will be free

work this way
at this time
in this place
in this manner
without complaint
and you will be free

kill these
and you will be free

wear this
and you will be free

suffer and believe
and you will be free

think this way
vote this way
criticise this way
and you will be free

spend and dream
this way
and you will be free

rebel and wear your hair
this way
and you will be free

lie down lie down
of your own accord
and you will be free

give up all thought
of justice
and you will
you will
I promise you
be free

Launch of Mortifications & Lies

After a long, long wait, for the final poem to come Mortifications & Lies has finally hit the deck. Launched on 24 March in Armidale (home of publisher, Kardoorair Press) it's good to see it physical.

It's three poems: 'country', '&' and 'Lies' all on the subject of country, one's place it in, one's right to bomb other people's, and as occupier of a land which is not of one's own ancestors.

Orders can go through Kardoorair Press or from me.

Now for the anxious wait for reader's reactions ....