Not a philistine

I am not a philistine and I like poetry in its place, but spending money on poetry then starting an appeal to pay for a catastrophic canal breach is a bit of a cheek, writes Frank Hurst.

I too wish to see the canals available to all, but walkers and cyclists must take note of the fact that the only people paying for the upkeep of our canal system are the boaters and the canal restoration societies who have rescued a national asset and are now seeing it being miss managed by a group of people who made a hash of it in the first place.

Another go

They have now have changed their name and are having another go at ruining it, let's get the canal fixed and then think about adding further cultural adornment when they are in a more healthy position.

Pretty words upon the beam are not a thing of which I dream.

My life would be much more content if the money more usefully was spent.

The canals do not require verse their condition now could not be worse.

Canals are navigations of great age and require a craftsman and not a sage.

So spend the cash for what we need and not for that which you perceive.

Poetry is fine in its place but do not speed a barge’s pace.

Verse will not repair a breach so pack it in and give us peace.