h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

ripe plums are falling
now there are only five
may a fine lover come for me
while there is still time

ripe plums are falling
now there are only three
may a fine lover come for me
while there is still time

ripe plums are falling
i gather them in a shallow basket
may a fine lover come for me
tell me her name

Chinese Book of Songs

"the past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."

L.P. Hartley

I sometimes think about old tombs and weeds
That interwreathe among the bones of Kings
With cold and poisonous berry and black flower:
Or ruminate upon the skulls of steeds,
Frailer than shells, or thos luminous wings
The shoulder blades of Princes of fled power,

Which now the unrecorded sandstorms grind
Into so wraith-like a translucency
Of tissue-thin and aqueous-bone; I ponder
On sun-lit spines and in my revery find
The arc-ribbed courser and his mount to be
Whiter than sexless lilies and how slender

The spleenful hands can turn . . .



from 'A Reverie of Bone' by Mervyn Peake

William Devereux Zantzinger

Dead and forgotten.

*old tombs and weeds*

Splendid hands can indeed turn.

*And you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
And now ain't the time for your tears.*

I really shouldn't post from memory or when I've had a drink or two, or both.

Dead and Thankfully forgotten.

*I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. *

Woody Allen

(That one I googled)

'I really shouldn't post from memory or when I've had a drink or two, or both.'


You've had a drink or two?!




Seriously, the intial post was just slightly melancholy (unlike mine). Is all as well as can be expected in this tired universe, my friend? I hope it is just the excess of black bile induced by the 'drink or two'



Near as I can tell, the only error is the conjunction: your 'and' should be a 'but'.

Tell me that your melancholy is not over the passing of William Zantzinger.

melancholy seems
a bitter draught sipped alone
less so shared with friends

Mars is braw in crammasy,
Venus in a green silk goun,
The auld mune shak's her gowden feathers,
Their starry talk's a wheen o' blethers,
Nane for thee a thochtie sparin'
Earth, thou bonnie broukit bairn!
- But greet, an' in your tears ye'll drown
The haill clanjamfrie!

Hugh McDiarmid



see also http://bonobopomes.blogspot.com

It was an odd state of mind. I was remembering someone a long time ago, when I first heard Dylan sing that song.

Never mind, it's a brand new foggy day!

Many, many years ago my friends and I travelled south to the good ol' US of A to attend a Bob Dylan concert. It was the classic V Dub mini van full of all us long haired reprobates, including a slender young lass I had great affection for. Long story short, during the singing of *Hattie Carroll* we kissed and I thought that this was it. Two weeks later I moved out of town and I haven't seen her since.

I was visiting here: http://kevinswoodshed.blogspot.com/

At the Right Rev's blog and there was a link to a Youtube of Mr. Zimmerman singing the song and one scotch led to another which led to the post. Black currant juice tonight.

How about a snibble in exchange for a bear hug? That'll keep the ol' melancholy at bay.

Susan is coming over for lunch today so we will raise a glass to our very special absent friend.


az

Susan is sending you this to cheer you up...

http://stereotypist.livejournal.com/122237.html


az

I guess that's to get back at me for the engineer jokes!

Don't worry about me, some days I just forget to laugh at myself.

"Don't worry about me, some days I just forget to laugh at myself"

Ha! I'll always laugh at you, honey ... anytime you like.

Apparently certain engineers think you are difficult to find on skype...


az