A little late for National Unicorn Day but who could resist this joyous creature?

Unicorn by Don Paterson after Rilke’s “Die Sonette an Orpheus” This is the animal that never was. Not knowing that, they loved it anyway: its bearing, its stride, its high, clear whinny- right down to the still light of its gaze. It never was. And yet such was their love the pure beast arose; they had cleared the space. And in the stable of its nothingness it shook its white mane out and stamped its hoof. They fed it, then, not with hay or corn, but with the chance that it might come to pass. All this gave the creature such a power its brow put out a horn; one single horn. It grew inside a maiden’s looking-glass then one day walked out, and passed into her.

This is the animal that never was.
Not knowing that, they loved it anyway:
its bearing, its stride, its high, clear whinny—
right down to the still light of its gaze…

—Don Paterson, “Unicorn”
after Rilke’s “Die Sonette an Orpheus”
from POETRY, June 2004

Happy #NationalUnicornDay! 🦄
#poem #poetry

Good question. I would like to know that too. Fantastic painting. Thank you for all you are posting.

That looks a fantastic party!

Jesus. F*cking. Christ.

Yes it was.

The chaos of bombardment in a dense urban enclave generates data on how humans react under stress, former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis recalled a Palantir executive telling him. “The more bombardment and havoc, the better the training.” In an interview with Drop Site, he said the rep also told him that “as the bombs fell we were having a party,” because Gaza was becoming a live laboratory for AI. “This is the first instance in history where it is the suffering of a people being subjected to genocide and bombing—the suffering itself—which is adding to the capital of a company which then uses that capital to produce commodities to sell elsewhere,” Varoufakis told @_jwhittall . 🎥 He recently repeated the account at a live event. Video attached. Read Drop Site’s full investigation into Palantir’s role in tracking Gaza aid at the link below. ⤵️

It's utter madness that human beings would actually behave in this way
There are no depths to Palantir's depravity
They have no souls

I loved the book but also didn’t like the film. Driving up the A9 has not been the same since!

Excellent point!

Texas Paul: You have made me totally re-think my views about Texas men in Stetsons! I am thoroughly enjoying your messages - it gives me hope about America. Best wishes from the wilds of Scotland.

Battle between monkeys and wildmen, or, an allegory of current politics. By the Master of Mary of Burgundy, from the Hours of Engelbert of Nassau, 1480.

Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue

🟥 No Scot should go cold in our energy rich nation.

🙌 6500+ signatures already - including most pro-independence MSPs.

📣 Take action today and tell Westminster, that Scotland wont accept being ripped-off any more: www.believeinscotland.org/end_scotland...

Scotland welcomes Sudanese fund raisers Sudanese friends walk 900 miles through Britain, raising £90k for refugee schools and proving the nation’s heart is full of welcome

“The rightwing politicians keep saying they know the will of the people. But the will of the people we’ve seen has been very different. In the last 900 miles we’ve seen nothing but compassion, kindness and generosity. "

Holocaust Survivor DEMOLISHES Israel’s Final Solution Never Again is now

Holocaust Survivor DEMOLISHES Israel’s Final Solution

Immigrants Detained at Fort Bliss in Texas Report Abuse and Inhumane Conditions Detained people at largest immigration detention facility in the country report accounts of physical and sexual abuse.

Understand this: There are Trump regime concentration camps in America, where innocent people are being killed and tortured and sexually abused—not to mention caged indefinitely—and that includes men, women, and children. These Nazi-style camps are on military bases to keep their activities secret.

Love this!

I used to think I wouldn’t wish death on anyone, but I now ask myself would they care if I live? Would they care if I die, or my loved ones die? Boris Johnson’s comment, ‘Let the bodies pile high’ made me realize that some of those in power simply don’t care if we live or die, so why should I?

Petition: By-elections to be called automatically when MPs defect to another party When an MP decides they want to defect to another party a by-election should be automatically triggered to allow the constituents the opportunity have their democratic right to agree or not with their...

They claim they’re putting personal ambition aside and defecting to Reform to help fix the country.
To stop that pisstaking farce, they should be made to hold by-elections in their constituencies and let the voters decide if that’s ok with them. Please sign.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

I was living in London when this first came out. How homesick it made me feel! Love it.

Good.

I have managed to be worried about: - the murderous behaviour of ICE; the rampant imperialism of Trump’s America and the fact that the weight of the snow sliding off the roof has brought some of the guttering down.

Well, we can’t argue with that - this is exactly what it is.

Artwork with standing wolf and flying bird under a full moon

The first full moon of 2026 is known as the #WolfMoon when the wolves howl with hunger.

Kiki Smith, Cathedral, 2012,
 jacquard tapestry #WomensArt

Happy New Year to you too.

This is beyond my comprehension. Having zoomed in to the picture, I can see the Saltire, the Welsh Dragon and the Cross of St George. What is their problem? It looks magnificent. I don’t understand this country any more. Bring on Scottish and Welsh independence and a united Ireland.

Happy Christmas and New Year to you too. x

Of course it did! How can you ask such a thing? Tut tut.