Playing It For Laughs, A Book of doggerel By John Seymour. Published by Metanoia Press, Killowen, New Ross, Co. Wexford, Eire. £9. ISBN 0 9518381 1 3.

John Seymour is a veteran environmental campaigner and supporter of the Third Way. He is still a lively activist and was in fact recently put on probation for digging up a field of GM crops! An example to us all. Many of his favourite causes feature in this book of doggerel which reflects his sense of humour and zest for life.

I thought his "Fat Cats" (p.12) accurately summed up the present situation:-

"I know you men of wealth and power are winning all the way

Our side is small and scattered and you think it’s had it’s day

You’ve bribed the politicians - you’ve got them in your power

You’re raging at your peak now -this is your finest hour"

Though always humorous John Seymour covers a wide range of serious issues including Genetically Modified foods, The Druize Test, Cryonic Suspension and The Bramble Report (which was a report from Scientists on "acceptable" conditions for hens kept in battery cages. Underlying the doggerel is a sense that Justice will eventually prevail and that the wrongdoers will get their comeuppance. As John puts it in ‘Four Hundred and Fifty CMS Square’ (p.38):-

"For there’s money in misery, money in pain

And the fellows that do it make infinite gain

I’ve a word of advice for the latter as well

The Devil, my brothers, has cages in Hell"

Let’s hope he’s right.

Also worthy of mention are John’s verses to the tune of the Cockney classic My Old Man’s a Dustman. My favourite was ‘My Old Man’s a Banker’ (p.42):-

"My old man’s a banker And He’s got this wondrous gift

That what we want we always get We never practice thrift".

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