SIXTEENTH century prophet Nostradamus used poetry to hint at his predictions for the future and now some bizarre poetry of another form amazingly describes Hong Kong politics. Local author Dr George Adams has stumbled across a poem entitled, Where are you now, Batman? The work is written by a British author sharing our good Guv's surname and also makes uncanny references to his political life. The poem by Brian Patten reads: The Purple Monster who came down to the purple planet disguised as a man, is wandering aimlessly about the streets with no way of getting back. A reference to the setbacks plaguing Chek Lap Kok? Dr Adams believes the purple planet clearly refers to the Foreign Office. The poem continues; The Rocket Man's fuel tanks gave out over London. Surely this represents Chris Patten's political standing in Britain and his own ignominious end at the polls, eh? Meanwhile; The Monster and the Ape still fight it out in a room where the walls are continually closing in. This line certainly evokes vivid images of the Joint Liaison Group. But more interesting is the final stanza of the poem; Has the terrible fiend, that ghastly adversary Mr Old Age caught you in his deadly trap and come finally to finish you off . . . his machine-gun dripping with years? A loyal Patten follower, Dr Adams said this seemed to refer to his rapid ageing over the past two years. But, he continued: '[We] sincerely hope that the heavens will preserve him from the terrible auguries contained in this apposite - nay, perhaps prophetic - poem.' We hope so too.
