Has Tony Blair's reign been an aesthetic golden age or a triumph of style over substance? The NS's favourite artists, musicians and writers commemorate him here in an ancient Japanese verse form, the "Blair-ku".

Andrew Billen

The spin unspun, the
grin undone, an election
That cannot be won.

Tom Paulin

Always the self
in a mirror
and always - in one word - protestant.

Sebastian Horsley

You can count on your
Prime Minister to lay down
your life for his country.

Rizwan Ahmed

Grinning pirouettes;
Far away limbs rain down in
Thunderous applause.

Nicholas Blincoe

Not one of us but
unlocatable, more of
a stranger each day.

David Shrigley

In the night I will
Make his portrait on a wall
In blood with a stick.

Amit Chaudhuri

Saying "Yes" to writing a haiku was wrong, perhaps - and that, too, about a man who's become less and less known for having said "No" to the wrong decision.

Sarfraz Manzoor

Blair was here ten years
But the tears began after
Forty-five minutes.

Alice O'Keeffe

Bee Gees, Cliff Richard
his natural companions
slow cultural death

Glen Neath

I can't recall the
bad news given on the good
day they buried it.

Lynsey Hanley

"We're all middle-class,"
He said, causing me to choke
On my Pot Noodle.

Paul Smith (Maxïmo Park)

A permanent prickle
Forever infested
A red-eyed monster still lurks.

Post your comment

Please note: you will need to login or register before you can comment on the website