The Akond of Swat

[EliasO89]

Awesome stuff.

[swati79]

the Akhoond of swat was the first who kicked the british in the ass.

The British, who had captured most of rest of the Indian subcontinent without significant problems, faced a number of difficulties here. The first war with the Pashtuns resulted in a devastating defeat, with just one Dr. William Brydon coming back alive (out of a total of 14,800-21,000 people). This happened during the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1849 and later the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1876. now u know who he was.

[headgirlblues]

Loved this Lear poem from childhood (along with The Jumblies) but Ken's rendition reveals the true nub from which Lear wrote it. Wonderfully germane.

[SyClopps]

full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[spinkluke]

The Akond of Swat--by Edward Lear

[DadgeCity]

Thanks for doing this, Ken. I don't mind the accent, or the pronunciation.

[kennordine]

Humpty Dumpty who sat on a wall and who had a great fall

and saddest of all...all the King's men couldn't put Humpty together again. AH yes...must have been a good egg who didn't want to take sides. Thanks for your kind critique.

ken

[grassic]

I agree, needs to be a british accent. BTW its pronounced AH-Kond a as in apple not a as in acorn. As to the "politics of the 1850's" I believe it was written in the 1870's and I don't think there was any politics about it at all. Lear just liked what to English ears appeared a silly name and the poem's increasing silliness shows this. having said that, I think it's an interesting idea to ridicule dictators and their pretensions with this piece, they need ridiculing.

[offrampt]

The poem needs a British accent - then the pronunciation of the -ot ending is funnier.

[khrysserx]

Ken, I have loved this since 'Upper Limbo', what a terrific video. I thought this was a very prescient poem by Edward Lear, who wrote about insane rulers when they were funny instead of terrifying. Just wonderful, thank you so much for sharing

[marquisdejolie]

Shades of Leonard Cohen! Are you Budhist? Enjoy your art!

[lechatbotte]

i make infoduck's words mine.. your art is great, but your politics regrettable.

[kennordine]

they are the art and politics of Edward Lear of the 19th Century, Lear is said to have invented the limerick, how do the politics of the 1850s apply to 2007?

[infoduck]

Enjoyed you for 30+ years. Sorry your politics don't live up to your art.

[kennordine]

they are the art and politics of Edward Lear of the 19th Century, Lear is said to have invented the limerick, how do the politics of the 1850s apply to 2007?

[infoduck]

Your rendition of the poem is illustrated with a visual montage repeatedly comparing Saddam Hussein to despots ranging from Hitler to Milosevic. This plays as a justification for the current imperialist war of aggression underway in Iraq. The final images link Saddam with Bin Laden. This is a perpetuation of the lie that has led to death and injury on a monumental scale.

[dissentionburn]

ALL people in power are there simply because they are power hungry. and of course you know, power corrupts... what i fail to see are the "leaders" of "the other side". despot, shmespot.

[logandarklighter]

Was Hitler a despot? True or false?

Was Stalin a despot? True or false?

Was Idi Amin a despot? True or False?

Was Mao a despot? True or false?

Was Saddam Hussein a despot? True or False?

If you research the history and are honest with the answers, then you know how apt is the comparison and the irony.

One final question - do you think George Bush is a despot? If you say yes, then the final laugh of history is directed at you.

[eribisho]

Frigging excellent commentary, thanks pal.

[kmpagoda]

"Was X a despot?" Is a question and has no truth value, therefore it is absurd to ask if the question is true or false.

[infoduck]

Lear's 1862 nonsense poem shows the arrogance of a British imperialist making fun of his own ignorance about an obscure leader of a little known region. By the end of 1863 when British forces had suffered a humiliating defeat by forces led by the "Akhund of Swat," it probably wasn't so funny.

[alexcc2]

Awesome! I never ever ever ever thought I would like poetry.