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Exclusive: Dominic Cummings, Lil Pump, and Gabbie Hanna to speak at Oxford Union

Oliver Adelson
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Exclusive: Dominic Cummings, Lil Pump, and Gabbie Hanna to speak at Oxford Union

Cherwell has gained exclusive access to the Oxford Union’s Hilary term card. The line-up of speakers set to address the Union includes British political strategist Dominic Cummings, rapper Lil Pump, and American internet personality Gabbie Hanna.

Strategist Dominic Cummings served as Chief Adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson from July 2019 to November 2020, when he resigned following an acrimonious split with the prime minister. Cummings is also known for his role as “the mastermind of the Brexit campaign” and for his breach of Britain’s COVID lockdown restrictions during his controversial trip from London to Durham.

Lil Pump is an American rapper whose discography includes “Gucci Gang” and “Harverd Dropout.” He has collaborated with rappers Kanye West and Lil Wayne, and his song “Welcome to the Party” was used in Deadpool 2’s soundtrack. Part of his notoriety comes from his encounters with the law – in 2018 he was arrested for discharging a weapon in an inhabited place and driving without a license, and, following a parole violation, he was forced to serve a short prison sentence.

Gabbie Hanna is founder and host of The Gabbie Show, a YouTube channel that has garnered over 100 million views since it was launched in 2014. She is also a singer-songwriter and a New York Times best-selling author.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, is also set to address the Union this term. Other speakers on the Union’s term card include Robert Peston and Kisha Koria – who together will be talking about their new book, Bust?: Saving the Economy, Democracy, and our Sanity – and Molly Bloom, author of Molly’s Game, a memoir later adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film.

This term’s debates will include a debate to mark the second anniversary of the start of the Russia-Ukraine War, an all-women feminist Valentine’s Day debate, a debate titled “This House Does Not Know What Labour Stands For,” and a comedy debate in which YouTube personality Stephen Tries is scheduled to speak. In addition, there will be prizes for debate floor speeches, such as a one-night stay at the Randolph Hotel and a dinner for two at The Alice.

There will also be a special head-to-head discussion on free will. One of the experts debating the issue will be Simon Blackburn, who was previously a fellow at Pembroke College and who authored the book Think.

Social events this term will include a Casino Royale ball sponsored by ATIK Oxford, a Burns Night ceilidh, a Valentine’s Day dinner, and an end-of-term President’s drinks reception.

Discussing the upcoming term at the Union, Oxford Union President Hannah Edwards told Cherwell: “I’m thrilled to present a Hilary 2024 term card with such light and shade in its line-up. One day our members can come and question leading political figures, such as Dominic Cummings, and the very next day they can hear from entertainers such as Lil Pump. 

“As ever, debating is very much at the heart of this term card, and with Oxford the current World Champions (as of this week), I hope everyone can get involved in this term’s debates, whether it be a comedy motion or questioning what Labour stands for!”

The sporting landscape of 2054

Krishna Gowda
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The sporting landscape of 2054

Today’s sporting scene is largely unrecognisable from thirty years ago, having undergone radical changes in efforts to amplify interest, increase profits, and deliver entertainment to a globalised audience. In another thirty years’ time, the future of sport will again present an alien scene to us, though given sport’s inseparable relationship with politics, it would be prudent to consider what the repercussions will be.

Newfound Saudi interest is one of the most contentious issues in the current sporting world, with an estimated £5 billion being spent over the past three years across football, golf, F1, and various other sports. From major tournaments to venues like Atomic Golf, the sport has seen a surge in investment and global attention. Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s pioneering transfer to Al Nassr, The Saudi Pro League has experienced an influx of elite stars swapping esteemed European football for higher-paying careers at distinctly lower levels.

Footballing interest has also operated outside of its own domain; in 2021 Newcastle United was taken over by a consortium of the Saudi Public Investment Firm (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund of the country. Effectively controlling its investments and assets, the PIF is one of the globe’s richest clubs. Saudi Arabia have also created the LIV Tour, a controversial rival to the PGA establishment that has lured away many players via lucrative contracts. They are also set to host the 2034 Football World Cup, the 2029 Winter Olympics, and the 2034 Asian Games – testaments to their embracement of global sporting culture, and the forging of their own sporting legacy.

The gulf state has, however, been met with accusations of ‘sportswashing’, strategically staging sports events in order to deflect criticism away from their poor human rights records, and environmental impact from fossil fuel exportation. Saudi Arabia has dismissed such criticism, with crown prince Mohammed bin Salman stating that: “if sportwashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we’ll continue doing sportswashing”. Prince Abdulaziz, the Saudi sports minister, branded such claims as: “very shallow”, indicating his antipathy and suggesting that investment will continue to accelerate. Whether Saudi bear the fruits of their labours or whether their ambitions will fizzle out will be interesting: it is clear their political motivations interlace with their sporting ambitions and thus such decisions will have potentially damaging global repercussions. 

Women’s sports are also likely to continue upwards trends of interest and investment. Although figures like Billie Jean King have advocated for policies of equal pay for men and women since the 1970s, it has only been after the turn of the century that equal pay in sports is becoming more prevalent, occurring at different rates across various sports. In 2007, Wimbledon and the French Open began offering equal pay, ensuring that all four slams had pledged parity and setting a precedent for other sports to follow. Motorsport has developed racing series for women to create opportunities for women to progress through the sport, such as the W Series and F1 Academy. Women’s football has seen a significant uptick in investment, viewing figures, and public interest, helped by their recent successes in both the European Championships and the World Cup. Signalling intent for the upcoming decades, the government recognised such international success with a £30 million injection to develop million to develop opportunities for the next generation of Lionesses. 

Despite these success stories, there is still much progress to be made across various sports. F1 President Stefano Domenicali suggested that it would be highly unlikely for women to enter the sport this decade, extending the wait for the next female driver since Giovanna Amati in 1992. Whilst the FA have instilled equal pay for national representation, club salaries massively differ for men and women, with the top players in the WSL sitting at roughly £200,000 annually – a stark difference from the £20 million earned by top male players in the Premier League. 

There are systematic issues too that signal an underlying misogyny pervading women’s sport. Spain’s World Cup triumph was overshadowed when Luis Rubiales, then Spanish Football Federation President, kissed Spanish forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips following their victory – a non-consensual act which he staunchly defended. Despite his dismissal, the incident tarnished the legacy of a groundbreaking World Cup for women’s football, highlighting the stark need for change in the future.

A lighter avenue worth considering too is the rise in popularity of different sports. Whilst interest in more mainstream sports is likely to remain unchanged, less traditional sports may witness greater engagement from fans for a variety of reasons. The Paris 2024 Olympics will include breaking, sport climbing, surfboarding and skateboarding – four relatively unorthodox sports. These disciplines appeal to a younger demographic, meaning the sport may garner a viewership that grows alongside its own development. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has also acknowledged the possible inclusion of esports in future Olympics. The debate surrounding the classification of esports as sports has been divisive, but the IOC will find it hard to ignore the sizeable figures that livestreaming video games draws in and will not want to risk alienating a young audience. Availability and accessibility are key factors in promoting playing sports; padel, dubbed the ‘world’s fastest growing sport’, and spikeball are gaining traction due to their low-cost and low-skill entry thresholds.  These sports will likely surge in viewership figures over time, introducing people to sports they may have been unfamiliar with and generating interest around them.

There is ample room for improvement in the sporting world over the next three decades. Environmental considerations must be heeded and pledges such as that of F1 to be carbon neutral by 2030 must be met. Gender equality has improved but further progress must also be a priority. Avarice will test the ethical values of countries and sportspeople, challenging sport’s integrity. It may be idealistic to hope for a more sanguine sporting future in 2054, but considering the progress that has been made from thirty years ago, the future of sport has a lot to offer and will be indubitably intertwined with environmental and political considerations. 

Weather alerts issued as the River Cherwell floods

Sam Freeman
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Weather alerts issued as the River Cherwell floods

The Cherwell river, which flows through the county of Oxfordshire and central Oxford, burst its banks on Tuesday following a period of heavy rainfall. In response, the Environment Agency issued flood warnings across Oxfordshire, 27 of which remain in place as of Friday. The chaos comes after Storm Henk caused national disruption, with heavy rain and gusts of wind in excess of 80 mph being recorded in parts of the UK.

Several colleges of the University of Oxford, particularly those adjacent to the Cherwell, have been affected by the higher river levels. Lady Margaret Hall, located near the river, communicated via Instagram that the floodwater had made it as far as the college hockey pitch.

St Hilda’s was similarly troubled, releasing a social media post showing the extent of the flooding which had submerged large parts of the college’s gardens.

Christ Church’s Instagram page meanwhile reposted an earlier image from a student, remarking that Christ Church Meadow had become a “lake” with the image showing large parts of the meadow to be underwater.

Within Oxfordshire, residential streets in the town of Abingdon, 6 miles southeast of Oxford, were left covered with flood water causing damage to property. One local resident was critical of the town’s existing flood defences, citing the claim by developers that the culverts used were designed to cope with “1 in 100” flood events. Speaking to the Oxford Mail, the resident asserted that the rain brought by Tuesday’s storm “has not been a 1/100 year amount of rainfall.”

The flooding has also led to travel disruptions with the A34 closing on Tuesday before being re-opened on Thursday. The Oxford bus company also released a statement via X calling the flooding on Abingdon Road  “increasingly concerning” and warning that all services operating in the area were “suffering severe disruption.”  

The flooding throughout Oxfordshire has coincided with national disruption brought by Storm Henk. Elsewhere in the Thames Valley a party boat sank whilst moored at Temple Pier in London on Wednesday. Additionally, around 50 people were evacuated by firefighters after a canal near Hackney Wick was unable to cope with the unusually high discharge. Welfare checks were carried out on around 100 more residents who were able to remain in their homes.

The MET office has forecast drier conditions from today onwards, although the earlier flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency remain in place.

Oxford City Council have informed Cherwell that updates about flood prevention work being undertaken by the council, as well as residents advice and details of the self-fill sandbag scheme set up at Redbridge Park and Ride, can be found at the council’s severe weather webpage.

For more up to date news about the flooding please visit: Check for flooding in Oxford – GOV.UK (check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk)

Protected: The Vice-Chancellor in review

Flora Prideaux
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Port Meadow pollution threatens bathing site status

Ellie Yau
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Port Meadow pollution threatens bathing site status

A recent government report has classified Port Meadow’s water quality as “poor” for the second year in a row. Port Meadow’s designation as a river bathing site was approved in April 2022 on the condition that its water quality improve to a standard considered “fit to swim in” within five years. However, the infamous pollution plaguing the area has put it at serious risk of losing its bathing site status.

Contributing to the poor pollution rating are sewage plants such as Cassington and Witney Sewage Treatment Works, located upstream of Port Meadow, which discharge raw sewage into the river. Thames Water, the UK’s largest water and wastewater company (whose area of responsibility includes Port Meadow), has recently come under fire for pumping at least 72 billion litres of sewage into the River Thames since 2020.

If Port Meadow does lose its status as a designated river bathing site, it would significantly affect local recreational clubs, university sports, and all those who regularly utilise Port Meadow for aquatic activities. The exposure to dangerous bacteria such as E coli and intestinal enterococci, indicated by the “poor” rating to be worse than recommended levels, is already a significant deterrent to student athletes. In fact, in 2022, the levels of intestinal enterococci in Port Meadow were more than twice the healthy limit.

After the figures were released, Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, spoke on the issue in Parliament. Having previously been “delighted” and “so proud to support the community campaign [that successfully ensured Port Meadow’s] bathing water status,” she strongly believes this is “unacceptable” for the people of Oxfordshire. Moran believes the meeting with the Minister is a promising first step but that it “cannot stop there.” She remains firm that the government must “clamp down” on companies like Thames Water and recognise that the public has lost faith in such companies to protect their water.  

The statistics report also showed a significant increase in the overall number of bathing areas across the UK classified as poor, from 12 in 2022 to 18 in 2023. Moran identified this as a general trend of carelessness that affects not just Oxfordshire, but the entire UK: “It is insulting to see Ministers pat themselves on the back after a shocking rise in swimming spots rated as poor water quality… This national scandal needs to end now.”

Environment Minister Robbie Moore has agreed to a meeting regarding the protection of Oxford’s Port Meadow, but pointed out that 95.7% of bathing water classifications were rated as “good or excellent,” compared to 76% in 2010. He stated this showed the government “took water quality seriously” but promised to “endeavour to go even further.”

Updated University statement hopes for Gaza ceasefire

Selina Chen
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Updated University statement hopes for Gaza ceasefire

In an update to its response to recent events in Israel, Gaza, and the Middle East, Oxford University has expressed its hopes for a further ceasefire. A 18 December social media post from Oxford’s Palestine Society (PalSoc) and Rhodes Scholars for Palestine criticised the update, calling it “timid,” “insufficient,” and “highly problematic” despite being “a step in the right direction.”

Previously, Oxford’s statements and updates did not call for a ceasefire. Rhodes Scholars for Palestine and PalSoc representatives communicated and met with the Vice-Chancellor’s office multiple times in Michaelmas — including on 12 December — and brought forth the “Act Against Genocide” petition that drew support of over 2,000 signatories.

The societies’ joint Instagram post updated its “Act Against Genocide” petition with reasons for its critique of the University’s statement: “By referring to Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza as ‘military action,’ the University grossly misrepresents Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity as somehow legitimate.

“By explicitly mentioning the Hamas attacks and hostage-taking while disregarding the decades-long reality of Israel’s settler-colonialism, illegal occupation, illegal siege on Gaza, and illegal detainment of thousands of Palestinians including children, the University adopts a partial, ahistorical narrative that reinforces dehumanisation of Palestinians. This stance reveals racist double standards especially when compared to the University’s unapologetic response to the invasion of Ukraine.”

The post further calls Oxford’s actions “inadequate,” alleging the University’s response has added to the “alienation and demoralisation” of affected students while offering them “no tangible, material support.” The societies also stated that the University has not taken sufficient action to protect academic freedom and free speech: “Colleges and departments have repeatedly denied requests to book spaces for Palestine-related events, even activities such as bake sales or grieving circles.”

In addition to expressing hopes for a ceasefire, the University statement condemns instances of harassment directed toward Jews and Muslims in Oxford: “It has become regrettably clear that some of our students and staff have experienced or witnessed anti-Semitic and Islamophobic behaviour within Oxford. As a University, we will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.”

The statement further lays out welfare provisions offered by the colleges and University and lists direct channels for students to report harassment 

According to the student societies, the University administration has pledged to meet again at the start of next term to discuss several proposals: further updating its messaging, creating a reporting mechanism for collegiate or departmental censorship, establishing a scholarship for Palestinians students and support for academics-at-risk, and exploring the University’s financial ties to arms manufacturers.

Oxford accepted more than £106 million in anonymous donations

Oliver Adelson
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Oxford accepted more than £106 million in anonymous donations

An openDemocracy investigation has revealed that Oxford accepted more than £106 million in anonymous donations between 2017 and 2023 — more than any other Russell Group university. The donations come from just 68 anonymous donors, putting the average amount given over £1.5 million.

Among the more controversial anonymous gifts was the £10 million donated to found the Oxford Nizami Ganjavi Centre. Earlier this year, Cherwell reported on the connection between the Centre and autocratic rulers in Azerbaijan, and openDemocracy attempted to solicit from the University further details about the donor as part of its investigation. Despite these efforts, Oxford has only revealed that the donation came from Azerbaijan and that the person behind the donation was a “highly successful businessperson who wished to remain anonymous.” 

The openDemocracy investigation reports that Oxford is “so insistent” on keeping the details of the donation unknown that it has opted to go to court to block openDemocracy Freedom of Information requests.

When approached for comment, the University told Cherwell: “The University will not disclose the name of the donor to the Oxford Nizami Ganjavi Centre; the terms of the gift are such that the donor wanted to be anonymous, and the University is respecting that agreement. CRDRF [Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding] was made aware of the identity of the donor of this gift, who was considered and approved through our usual due diligence process.

“It is inaccurate to say that Oxford University has ‘opted to go to court’ over this case. Open Democracy has taken the Information Commissioner to a tribunal after the Commission ruled for the University.”

The openDemocracy investigation also discusses emails obtained by the organisation which deal with fundraising discussions held by Oxford in 2019. The investigation states that the emails show that the then-vice chancellor was briefed on Oxford’s “ability to draw Chinese government funds to the UK” — “the funds are now flowing,” one message reads.

The emails cover the University’s efforts to set up “potential dates to host the Chinese billionaires,” although, according to the investigation, such meetings never materialised. When approached by openDemocracy for details about the failed fundraising efforts, the University “refused to disclose any records related to the plan.”

The openDemocracy investigation further reveals that there was a concerted effort on the part of Russell Group universities to frustrate proposed legislation which would have required disclosure of donations exceeding £50,000. The former vice chancellor of Cambridge reportedly told government officials that such legislation could “severely impact” fundraising efforts, and other universities “privately wrote of ‘celebration’ after learning that they could keep the identity of givers under wraps.” The investigation does not specify whether Oxford played any role in lobbying against the transparency legislation.

A spokesperson for Oxford has commented on the University’s policy of anonymity for donations, denying that such contributions compromise Oxford’s integrity as an institution: “All Oxford University research is academically driven, with the ultimate aim of enhancing openly available scholarship and knowledge. Donors have no influence over how Oxford academics carry out their research, and major donors are reviewed and approved by the University’s Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding, which is a robust, independent system taking legal, ethical and reputational issues into consideration before gifts are accepted.

“We take the security of our academic work seriously, and work closely with the appropriate Government bodies and legislation. Much of our overseas collaborative research addresses global challenges such as climate change and major health problems where international involvement is important in delivering globally relevant solutions.”

Jeremy Corbyn speaks at Oxford March for Palestine

Selina Chen
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Jeremy Corbyn speaks at Oxford March for Palestine

Hundreds marched through Oxford city centre in a demonstration organised by Oxford Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) on 16 December. The protest marked the tenth Saturday of national action since the Israel-Gaza War began and continued into a rally on Broad Street with speakers including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, 13-year-old Palestinian Bana Al-Asadi, trade union leaders, and other activists.

Chairman of Oxford PSC, David Hillman, described the mood as “angry, sad, but determinant” to Cherwell. He explained that the persistence of the PSC was because “the genocide goes on” and that even though “it gets more and more evil, our message stays the same”, referring to their calls for an immediate ceasefire.

When asked about the Oxford chapter in the broader national scene, he told Cherwell: “Oxford plays a key role in the fact that our greatest philosophers and moralists have come out against this genocide, so have Oxford University students and the ordinary people… We have doctors at John Radcliffe [Hospital] who have visited Gaza, educating people on medicine over many years, and every week there is a very moving rally by medical students in Oxford.”

Demonstrators came to the march with various signs, with one display drawing a lot of attention from the crowd: Strapped to a protester’s mobility vehicle was a life-sized mannequin dressed in white with bandages around her head wound and a scarlet scarf. The same protester also carried a sign with the same motif and two wrapped baby dolls named Adam and Basil after the two Palestinian children killed by Israeli soldiers while playing in Jenin.

After an hour-long walk down Cowley Road and High Street, the marchers gathered by the Sheldonian Theatre for a rally. 

Corbyn, a long-standing advocate for Palestine and a member of the PSC, spoke at the rally with an emphasis on the UK’s role in this conflict. On the failed United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire, he said: “Britain, to its shame, abstained.… This sort of supine, cynical approach that members of parliament took on this fills me with utter disgust.”

However, more members of parliament voted for a ceasefire than he had expected, which Corbyn attributed to the large number of people demonstrating and writing to their MPs.

Corbyn then criticised the role of the arms industry in the conflict: “Wars don’t come from nowhere. They come from a great deal of money, a very powerful arms industry that supplies the weapons, and the military involvement of other countries.”

Oxford University’s connections to the arms industry was highlighted in the “Act Against Genocide” petition circulated in October which stated that “Oxford is in the top 5 universities in the UK to accept arms funding (2013-2021) from companies found by Amnesty International to fail to ‘demonstrate adequate human rights due diligence’”. The petition has previously inspired student protests as well as the chant “Oxford Uni you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide.”


When asked about Oxford’s role in the conflict, Corbyn told Cherwell that his message for the university is “think of what you do and think of why it’s done.”

Al-Asadi, a 13-year-old Palestinian, also spoke to the crowd: “The UNICEF organisation says that the Gaza Strip has become the most dangerous place in the world for children’s lives… The children of Palestine, like other children in the world, have their own dreams, feelings, and aspirations for the future. Now, I say enough of this transgression and humiliation.

“If there is any remaining shred of humanity, and any sense of responsibility among these officials and decision-makers, [they should] raise their voices loudly and without shame to stop this barbaric and deliberate killing of children and vulnerable civilians.”

The Not So Secret History: Family dynamics

Flora Symington
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The Not So Secret History: Family dynamics

After the madness of the first half of term, these last few weeks have seen at least three of the household retreating back into the house to hibernate and catch up on the work we should have been doing earlier. Although it’s been nice to see more of each other, one of the side effects I’ve observed is a certain fraying of tempers, particularly among those who perhaps spend a little too much time together. I’ve remarked to other friends that I feel like I’m living with two pairs of siblings, and it became apparent this week that, like all family dynamics, ours has its breaking points. 

Let me begin by saying that I have nothing but admiration for the way the Classicist and the Thespian have maintained cordial relations throughout not only living together but also working together for months on an incredibly stressful production. From what I can tell, the secret to their success lies in spending lots of time in bigger groups, followed by late night debriefs of these gatherings before bed. 

The Poet and the Chef, on the other hand, spend a fair amount of time alone in the house together, and two months in the cracks are starting to show.

The Poet has two brothers, and as an international student they don’t get to see them very often, so I’ve often imagined that they must miss them a lot, and have transferred some of these affections onto the Chef by way of a substitute. At least, that’s what I tell myself. ‘Affections’ is a strong word. What I’m really getting at is that the Poet likes to bully the Chef, reserving for them a tone much harsher than the rest of us are ever subjected to. I once accidentally turned the light off as I was walking past the kitchen, having not realised the Poet was still in there, to be greeted by a shriek of ‘Hey! How dare you, you knew I was – oh, I’m so sorry, I thought you were someone else.’ The Poet did at least have the decency to look guilty – clearly, they would never have dreamed of screaming at anyone else like this, but within the remit of their relationship with the Chef it’s apparently fair game. I’ve often seen them walk into the kitchen while the Chef is cooking and spend a few minutes standing behind them at the stove making critical remarks about the food, or laughing at an item of clothing that’s arrived in the post for them. The Chef’s policy is usually to take this lying down (they have two younger siblings and are, I’m sure, used to it), but recently they’ve started biting back. In one instance, they told the Poet they didn’t like their outfit, whereupon the Poet jumped right back down their throat, telling them they didn’t understand the rules of friendly sibling bullying: ‘it has to be playful!’

If it sounds thus far like I’ve been painting a rather one sided account, let me set the record straight. The Chef has their faults when it comes to cleanliness and general housekeeping, and the Poet is more tolerant of this behaviour than the rest of us put together. It all came to a head this week, however, when a bath mat belonging to the Poet, that went mysteriously missing in about September, miraculously reappeared in the Chef’s bathroom. I have rarely been as tense (outside of a theatre) as I was watching this great showdown: the Poet stood in the kitchen doorway, dripping wet mat in hand, while the Chef sat back on the sofa, insisting what was before them was, in fact, a hand towel, and therefore not stolen goods. As my head flipped back and forth between the two like a Wimbleden spectator, they did not break eye contact, holding each other’s gaze for what felt like an age. Finally the Chef broke the silence: ‘Ok, it might be a bath mat. Sorry.’ I waited for the explosion. But, to their immense credit, the Poet just nodded, and took the mat back to their bathroom. Given the number of times the Poet has had to stand dripping on a cold bathroom floor after a shower in the last few months, not to mention the amount of hours spent looking for the accursed mat, I have to commend them for the restraint of their reaction. I’m not sure I could have done the same. 

As with all housemate sagas, however, the story doesn’t end there. A few mornings later, the Poet went to get the milk out of the fridge for their tea, and stood up holding an empty pint carton. Their hands were trembling. ‘I’m going to go and hit them over the head with this right now.’ (the Chef was in bed nursing a hangover). I protested that it might not have been them, and anyway, maybe hitting them wasn’t the right option? ‘I just saw them leave the kitchen with a cup of tea. And they knew I was making tea too!’ ‘Deep breaths,’ I advised. I needn’t have worried. Instead of making their way to the door, they simply put the carton in the recycling, and checked the other fridge. I can’t speak for what would have happened if there hadn’t been more milk in there, but based on the bath mat incident I have to believe their characteristic restraint would have prevailed. That’s what siblings are for, after all: you can drive each other up the wall, but in the end you love them anyway. Household harmony prevails.

Image credit: Lina Kivaka via Pexels.

May The Wolf Die

Nina Naidu
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May The Wolf Die

Read the latest from The Source: ‘May the Wolf Die’ by Nina Naidu

It’s not as though you’ve had your fill.
Each night, a lunar eclipse, a bitter pill,
As if you weep, a call to the throng who long
To ravish me with a siren’s song.

You promise them sustenance, to nurture and feed
The hunger inside until your mouth bleeds.
But you persist, so jagged and raw,
Where you find your prey is the luck of the draw.

It’s not as though you’ve had your share.
The lamb now still, no need to steal
Its organs as if you strive to find
The heart you yearn to redefine.

And claim as your own. But why won’t it fit?
Why even ask? We can both admit
Though countless times, I’d plead and cry,
Those hurtful words, from your lips would fly—

It’s not as though you’ve said your peace.
Tough luck! Your care, a reluctant release.
Words echo, so daring and cruelly profane,
Like shackles on my soul: confine, aim, restrain.

Any last words for your favourite girl?
In this perilous world, where chaos swirls,
Time’s grasp slipping in the cosmos of a final twirl,
Speak now, for soon, our paths unfurl.

Hold on no longer. Release your grip!

Unhinged, unravelled, myself I will strip;
Cohesion lost in the frenzy and fold,
Few words remain for this madness untold.

When you’re all alone, who dries your tears?
Not me — for you’re the only one who hears
This wolf’s cry, your artful deceit.
I will succumb, no longer, to your bitter conceit.

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