Monday, May 05, 2008

All but blind

In childhood we were advised to, “Try to see ourselves as others see us”, but it seems equally useful to try to see others as they see themselves … which somehow reminds me of a little verse by Walter De La Mare …

All but blind

In his chambered hole

Gropes for worms

The four-clawed Mole.



All but blind

In the evening sky

The hooded Bat

Twirls softly by.



All but blind

In the burning day

The Barn-Owl blunders

On her way.



And blind as are

These three to me,

So blind to someone

I must be.

i'm as drunk as a lord, but that's all right because i am a lord ...



Advice sent by the old philosopher to a young correspondent who wondered if there might be an alternative to The Ten Commandments ...
Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.


Do not think it worthwhile to produce belief by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.


Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.


When you meet with opposition, even if it is from your family, endeavour to overcome it with argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.


Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.


Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do, the opinions will suppress you.


Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.


Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.


Be scrupulously truthful even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.


Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise, for only a fool will think that is happiness.

i told her straight ...





... that if she really loved me ...



... and if there had been an ounce of initiative in her, then in her spare time she could have dug a secret tunnel beneath the thames and up through the primeval clay in to the gilded glory of the chocolates vault at fortnum and mason

Saturday, May 03, 2008

water water




a couple of times, briefly, i had the privilege of travelling through the beautiful land where the navajo live




their wonderful art and their philosophy come out of their religion, but for most their path to spirituality and happiness is blocked by the most bruising and insulting form of poverty




america's toxic abuse of democracy and basic human rights in it's own back yard doesn't help
click the link and read on ...




radio, radio

i drive a little german truck with a really clear stereo radio that sometimes lets me hear musical details i'd never noticed in over forty years

but it has an annoying habit of jumping stations whenever a stronger local signal tempts it

on may day morning at six o clock i was just trundling into the dreary industrial estates on the south side of gatwick airport and the first golden sunbeams came flooding across the street to bring up every texture and colour in the few lovely trees

as i swung through a little roundabout, the radio jumped stations again and suddenly the young bob dylan was singing mr tambourine man as if he stood next to me

these things can pick your heart up and hurl it head over heels into the golden past

tears came in to my eyes

Thursday, May 01, 2008

fight ! fight !

this afternoon, i was reading a book about greek art outside the resuscitation room in saint george's hospital ... as you do !

suddenly i became aware that, out of the corner of my eye, in the extremely vague periphery of my vision, two shadows on the frosted glass windows of the swing doors fought in a violent and startling struggle

... then i realized in the next second that it was the shadow of the ward cleaner and his big duster