EVENT COMING UP

Two events I'm participating in are coming up very close to each other. The first takes place on Thursday, 3rd October at David's Bookshop in Eastcheap, Letchworth Garden City. This occasion was organised by John Gohorry, poet in residence at the bookshop, who reads his ÎIe de Ré poems, accompanied by Doug McGowan on guitar. Below is the flyer.

The second part of the evening, with Dick Jones, Doug McGowan and myself, is a repeat of the 'performance' we put on at the London Review Bookshop on 6thJuly 2015 to launch the Old Stile Press publication of Trans-Siberian Prosody and Little Jeanne de France. I've posted about this livre d'artiste before but you can see it all here. A few copies are still available.

I've also made a little trailer (see below). My full original video will be projected behind Dick's live reading and Doug's live guitar. Herewith links to the music composed and played by Doug for this presentation:


https://soundcloud.com/patteran/trans-sib-bells-motif
https://soundcloud.com/patteran/trans-sib-exotic
https://soundcloud.com/patteran/trans-sib-jeannes-theme
https://soundcloud.com/patteran/trans-sib-theme

 

 

REASONS TO REJOICE, TEMPORARILY

Yay!! Boris Johnson officially declared unlawfu!!
Yay!! Impeachment of Donald Trump may actually happen!
Yay!! Jeremy Corbyn could actually become Prime Minister!
Yay!! There's a light at the end of the tunnel!
Yay!! There may not even be a tunnel!

EYEWITNESSING

Whether you believe the universe was designed by Richard Dawkins, Leonardo da Vinci, Walt Disney, an accidental merger of incompatible ideas or none of the above, ultimately we just want to talk about ourselves and I must tell you that it's not fair.

Why, at the relatively young age of ninety, should I suddenly be attacked by some of the slings and arrows of so-called "Old Age" when, up to now, due to my exceptionally good genetic CV I was guaranteed immunity? Don't tell me I didn't read the small print because up to yesterday...YESTERDAY.. I could and did read the small print on everything, food, cosmetic labels, advertisements, terms and conditions etc. 

Yesterday, in an eye-testing room at a local hospital, a doctor looked into my eyes and said, enthusiastically: Yes indeed you have cataracts in both eyes as well as some age-related symptoms.

Patiently, I explained that I am an Artist and that my excellent eyesight has been my life-long pride, joy and necessity. The doctor speaks softly into a microphone attached to his computer and gives it information. He then tells me I'll get a letter in a couple of months with an appointment for cataract surgery in the left eye and then a couple of months later, for the right eye. On the form I take to the desk on my way out he has written "Artist" under "Occupation".

Self-Portrait 2018

DENTAL DIVERSION

Another tooth kicked the bucket today, the dentist's bucket. This leaves me seven wonky ones of my own and one more pretender to be added but not before next week because, you know, these things take time.

The current landscape of my inner mouth looks like Stonehenge with larger gaps, less symmetry and no ancient myths. I will embarass myself by taking a selfie but use your imagination (if it's not otherwise employed at the moment) to get the full inside picture.

Have just consumed half a tub of coffee ice cream in memory of the choppers I've lost over the years. Good riddance you badly designed bastards.

STREET PARTY TIME

Street party in my neighbourhood, always a joyous occasion organised by the people, for the people, with the people, weather cooperating brilliantly yesterday.

Great home-cooked food, wonderful music by Kentish Town band the Sandersons, magic show for the kiddies, dog show for the doggies, live spiders, snakes and bees for children and adults to learn from, Scottish dancing to prance to, film show and much more, all on the street where I live.

The party has taken place on this particulart street every September for the past twenty years. Yesterday was its anniversary, Long may it continue to live and enliven the community.

BRAVO BERCOW!

John Bercow, Speaker of the House. Someone who is not afraid to tell it like it is.

PLANT PROTEST?

I have a strong, healthy, tall, very old plant sitting in a pot at the top of the stairs to my attic studio. She has plenty of light, food and care and seems happy. But lately she has begun to do something very odd: she tosses soil around.

I am not joking. Only yesterday I vacuumed around the pot where handfuls of soil had yet again popped up and sprayed the surroundings. The pot is not overly full and the compost is well patted down around the plant's trunk.
Today she has somehow, all by herself, spat out dirt again. What's more, there's a sink hole in the compost. like a hollow space under the topsoil, even though the pot is full. There are no dogs, cats, birds, mice or insects in the house.

P.S.
Since writing the above, I've figured out that what's most likely happening is that the plant's roots have grown too big for the pot, they are squeezed and thus pushing the soil up. That's why it's spilling over the rim of the pot. I've got to re-pot the plant but it's such a heavy chore, I'll have to find someone to help.

BRIGHTNESS IN THE GLOOM

In my local cafe this afternoon reading the gloomy news I looked up and saw this bright vision.

THE END OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY?

Spent too much time yesterday watching the mesmerising chaos unfolding in Parliament and noticing how much better ITV and Channel 4 news broadcasting is compared to the BBC.

Quite fun in an appalling sort of way to watch Boris Johnson shooting himself in the foot simply by displaying the devious, pretentious, hypocritical, scheming and basically ineffective person he is, totally unfit to be leader of this country or anywhere else apart from Clownland.

CLOUD AND SILVER LINING?

If there's one good thing about the Boris Johnson farce it's that Jeremy Corbyn may well be elected Prime Minister.

I know that some of you, even some of my best friends, would not be happy about this. All I can say is: wait and see.

 Good article here.