Sunday, December 29, 2013

In The Black Horse


Artist Poet, Paul Conneally, in The Black Horse, Leicester.


Saturday, December 28, 2013

The God Connection




'the god connection' 

Ten Commandments
august 26 - november 17 2003
10 mountain sonnets
marlene mountain francine porad paul conneally stephen addiss nancy smith
gary gach cindy tebo carmen sterba ray rasmussen michael rehling gary blankenship


1
'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.'
[8/27-9/14/03]


another autograph collected the crowd unusually unruly
13-year-old reality tv star of her own fantasy
god sides with the feds the monument of 10 has left the rotunda*
no gods at all but lots of worship going on
many prostrate themselves as the alabama idol is hauled away
almighty microsoft what if bill gates is behind the pearly gate
built for the fox god a shrine on a hill
sleeping in the pew he dreams of madonna
such a jealous pussycat she says
japanese haiku who can get over it
studying all religions just in case
the running back on probation until after the season
all round the world cave paintings of fat mamas
the sound of bat wings above the feaces flecked altar
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2
'Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.'
[8/26-10/18/03]


toward shevinity 'on every high hill and under every green tree'
the toadsmouth a rock in the peak district that says you're almost home
so let's blast some more statues in afghanistan
obeying god's 2nd commandment the feds move the graven words
church green a lot of gw's in the collection basket
less likely to destroy the images of others if one creates
we'll be right back with more so don't touch that dial ok now this
sistine chapel the image of god on the ceiling
hungry as hell the 'big boy' statue beckons
the wall full of pinups at the local repair shop
the face in the mirror a joy to behold
ah censorship a jillion fewer images to clutter the museum the mind
the memory of a collection of ancient cock-shaped coat pegs
deck of holy cards with a few squirrels around st. francis
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3
'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.'
[8/27-10/17/03]


stalled car in Israel the driver cursed in several languages
a hammer meets a thumb
mother nature and i politely discussed the heat and man-made air
jeez you're looking good!
god for a moment i thought you were someone else
from where god's name was placed in vain it's taken by law
grandpa's story the day his mouth was washed with soap
swear words on the bathroom wall
all those leaders with god in their mouths
teen 'cool man the deity says no more mall muzak!'
'god damn' not considered cussing in our crowd
'for pete's sake' and i remember my grandmother's displeasure
say 'jumping kangaroo' instead of repeating your dad and brother
oh shit
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4
'Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.'
[8/27-10/19/03]


late start on sunday not one beer before noon
sunday buffet at the casino all you can eat $5
the smell of incense and bells a priest's frock
a swell day for authority figures to eye the figures of kids
the magic screen on the altar shows pro football
the commandments moved from the courthouse locked on sundays
no television no telephone no car a far different outlook
stop give it a rest take a breath the sun moves on his own
the sunday school teacher on saturday night dirty dancing
sunday morning the adult theater every seat sold
a relief to know that decadent is okay 6 days a week
up at 11 too late for mass
a spider crawls under the kneeler
sunday social visit with a sick and needy friend
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5
'Honour thy father and thy mother.'
[8/26-10/22/03]


words almost all in haste i eat you i taste you i hate you
together or one at a time?
summer warning the disappearing act of the y chromosome
with the best nursing home which won't interfere with your own lifestyle
single parent household double the duty and only one paycheck
a poke in the ribs from mom at this commandment
at least visit the home before they move in
the teenager politely pleads with her addicted mom
sidewalk neckbroken dead pigeon somebody's mother
pushing the wheelchair slowly he remembers
at least on the days set out by the merchants
gluestick card an 'i love you' with the heart peeling off
finally grieving for the dead dad of his teenage years
the faded flowers replaced each memorial day
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6
'Thou shalt not kill.'
[8/27-10/18/03]


squashes a bug saying 'better luck next time'
today the peace tally greater than the war's
first obligation to protect oneself
after the natives are crushed law and order
the cat plays with the lizard and eventually it dies
unless in uniform or something you hold dear is threatened
in an upbeat voice the tv announcer repeats the body count
lumumba's fate the belgium soldiers watched him tortured and killed
the cat with a tail hanging from her mouth
a dead duck if it's that time of year and you've got a license
reversal - clean air regulations repealed
british american tobacco sponsor a school of business ethics
then the state murders the murderer of the murderer of fetuses
end of the fairy tale now that the witch is dead
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7
'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'
[8/28-11/17/03]


she took his $4 million ring but who'll wring his neck
one count of sexual assault a felony at the lodge and spa
it used to be the charge and now it's the defense
unless you get married first
just don't embarrass me she said
unless you are one of the happy majority
delightful bliss i don't want to know!
every third weekend and thanksgiving day at daddy's
his seven-year itch annually
patriarch with wives galore his lust for another married woman
spiritual retreat this time at the motel 6 with the lights out
hot for herself the clerk turns on to her guy customers
not considered adultery lesbians in the news
mounting excitement the whole village collects stones
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8
'Thou shalt not steal.'
[8/29-10/25/03]


supermarket surely one purple grape will not be theft
his home is not a hotel despite the towels
except converts from other faiths and goods under 'fair exchange'
a town for a toe debit or credit
a convicted ceo on parole limited to the usa for vacation
prayer in school and denigrated neolithic females in church
the poor box empty under the gold altar 
just before the long weekend the price increased after?
high to low low to high stocks and bonds reversing positions
pyramid scheme one scam leads to another
a t-shirt with a mummy's face on it from the british museum
hope iraqi kids enjoy their new schools the teachers well-paid
you can download 'smells like teen spirit' for free**
musical chairs a trillion dollars poof up in smoke
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9
'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.'
[8/29-11/03]


restaurant three gossips sup on their friends' imagined faults
but i heard it on good authority from my daughter's friend
you can lie all you like particularly about those not next door
careful what you say there are laws against slander
at court she says what he says he didn't do
now tell us what was the real reason dubya you went to war
we all just assumed it was true
the latest poll 45% say the truth is not, 50% undecided
wmd's i say they're hidden in his boxer shorts
blair claims saddam could shoot his load in forty-five minutes
arnie's recall he can't remember all the women he's groped
rammed through the adult court system for life the 13-year-old
listen somebody knows but isn't talking the others blowing smoke
talking heads spread another rumor left unsaid
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10
'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house'
[8/26-10/18/03]


down the road a new double-wide & a warm-looking heat pump
the conservatory filled with the right sort of plants and conversation
a leaf outweighs your monuments by the weight of the universe
can't be impressed i don't recognize any 'a b c' car
ah then okay to contemplate his rock garden!
there goes the neighborhood
either it's too small or who'd want the upkeep?
& what's my apple doing in your kitchen?
at midnight the neighbor's hedge moves a yard closer
once it was my house until i lost my job
on the sun deck a great view of the pool next door
tho he's got a cute ass and 2 x 2 oxen i dig the wife & kids
three lawn mowers and two washers in the side yard
just a fence away from blue ribbon tomatoes
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notes
*alabama state capitol
**smells like teen spirit from nirvana's 'nevermind' cd

History Rewritten




history rewritten

fuel demo tragedy claims one last dance
bush seeks another life say muslim motorists
gems uncovered danger of adult aged five
celebrity brides enjoy days of misery
history rewritten by strike on blair
holocaust tide turns superbug risk
breakdown watchdog fears costs surge
warning freeze your pink cat litter
threatened mobile phone attacks police
lets slow everything

paul conneally
13th sept 05

 shreadlines piece created by Paul Conneally from cut up headlines in the Daily Telegraph

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

OLYMPIC - Back to Basics


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OLYMPIC - wordsearch landscape, London Olympic Development Site - Paul Conneally 2006

I will be moving away from photography, though not completely, in terms of documenting and representing in 2014.

I will return to new ways, some very old, of conveying place, space, time, people and the feelings set up through encounters with them.

A new set of Wordsearch Portraits and Landscapes will emerge along with frottage, print, found object and ephemera pieces.

New interventions are planned and further iterations of Shopputting, INVIGILATOR and LIAR (Look I Am Reading).

This said I'm sure that photographs will be appearing, if not in my planned commissioned pieces, certainly here!

Paul Conneally

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Grow Sheffield - Wordsearch Portrait of Jerry Simon - Postcard - Paul Conneally 2010

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Our Parting Kiss


our parting kiss 

a mixture of salt 

and sweet peppers


Paul Conneally

Scaffold High: The Deconstruction of the Spire of St. Mary de Castro



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St. Mary de Castro Church, Leicester, December 2013 - Paul Conneally

St. Mary de Castro Church is having its spire dismantled, taken down. It is the second oldest church in Leicester. King Henry VI, the 'boy King' was knighted in the church in 1426. The poet Geoffrey Chaucer married his first wife here. 

The church was founded in 1107. The church tower was built before 1330 for sure as there is a written record telling us that a man fell to his death from it in that year. The original spire was a broach spire. The broach spire was replaced in 1400 by a thinnish crocketted spire. The spire has been a source of problems almost since it was first built. One of Sir Christopher Wren's best masons, Henry Cotton, was given the task, in 1685, of taking off "5yds. In length downwards" and to build a new top.

Storm damage, lightning and other problems caused the tower to undergo rebuilding in 1699, 1757, 1763, 1783, 1871, 1901 and 1916.

More work since then has been undertaken periodically from then to the present day when it is now having its most radical treatment in that it is being completely taken down after being deemed unsafe. Work to put up scaffolding started on the 18th of November and it is currently at a height just below the start of the spire itself.

English Heritage has secured funds to take down the spire and the intention is that it will eventually be rebuilt although much fund raising needs to be done before this can happen. 

scaffold high
a workman leans out
in to the wind

Paul Conneally 

A Stalk of Sprouts


20131213-074512.jpg

followed home
by a stalk of sprouts
the Christmas turkey

Paul Conneally

Loughborough 2013

Tuesday, December 03, 2013

Running The Rails



20131202-165520.jpg

Late at night 
to early morning 
the train station 

Rodents run rails 
men in lines of fours, fives  
and against the rules
alone

Wrapped tight 
against the November cold 
an oil faced worker 

Marching up the down line 
he counts out loud 
bending periodically 
to spray paint a sleeper

Oh can you hear
the blowing of the whistle?

Paul Conneally

Loughborough 2013

Monday, December 02, 2013

Jesus on Jarrom Street


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three pints happy 
we leave The Font 
on Gateway Street

head towards 
The Sir Robert Peel
and turn right

against red bricks
behind a black spiked fence
hangs Jesus 

stadium bound
fans genuflect and
ask for a win

Paul Conneally
Leicester 2013


The photograph is St Andrew's Church, Jarrom Street, Leicester. The church was designed by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott who also designed London's St Pancras Station.