Portrait art of Thailand Footprint’s Footprint Maker of the Year by Chris Coles

What a year in Thailand, eh? Last year was a tough call for who made the biggest impression on this web site. Chris Coles and Chris Catto-Smith were the Co-winners of the 2013 Footprint Maker of the Year Award. The prestigious award. I forgot, prestigious.

This year it’s an easy call. Politics was not Henry Miller’s favorite subject. Mine either. But they had an effect on the arts in a small way. I wrote my first parody, ever and had my first ever poem published. They are attached again, herewith for your viewing and listening pleasure. So without further ado, the 2014 Footprint Maker of the Year Award goes to, The Yammerer of Bangkok.

The Yammerer of Bangkok … Sung to “The Wanderer” by Dion and the Belmonts … 1961

Oh well, I’m the type of guy who will never compromise

When I whistle and I yell, you know that I’m around

I hate ‘em and I hate ‘em ’cause to me they’re all the same

I squeeze ‘em and I squeeze ‘em and everybody knows my name

They call me the yammerer

Yea, the yammerer

I roam around, around, around, around

Oh well, there’s Lek on my left and there’s Noi on my right

And Jasmine is the girl that I’ll be with tonight

And when she asks me, which one I love the best

I tear open my shirt, where my face is tattooed on my chest

‘Cause I’m the yammerer

Yea, the yammerer

I roam around, around, around, around

Oh well, I roam from street to street, I go through life without a care

And I’m as happy as a clown

I with my two fists of iron but I’m going nowhere

I’m the type of guy who likes to meet and greet

I’m never in one place, I roam from street to street

And when I find myself a fallin’ for some facts

I hop right in that ‘Benz of mine, until I’m back on track

Yea, ’cause I’m the yammerer

Yea, a yammerer

I roam around, around, around, around

‘Cause I’m a yammerer

Yea, a yammerer

And my poem about the politics of hate:

A BANGKOK BLOGGER’S OBSERVATIONS

“Walk across the soi, you’ll save 10 baht.” He said

Seems like a lot of trouble on a street known for the dead

Illusions are flying like bullets and hot air

Children are dying, does anybody care?

What’s it all about? Power and greed

There is no glory in doing the good deed

I hate you. But I hated you first

But I hate you more

But you are the worst

Liars call people lunatics

To try and save face

Everyone has a Plan B

To get out of this place

Burmese Fortune tellers tell a good tale

While Rohingyan refugees face rotting in jail

Is this a farce? Can this be happening now?

Don’t burst my illusions and I won’t burst yours, pal.

 Best wishes for a great New Year from Thailand Footprint

And may 2015 be a better one

Thanks for your reading support