Friday, January 19, 2007

I lost a world the other day! Has anybody found? Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson

It's a long day at the Ministry. The Chief and I make a vow over coffee to be nice to one another for the day. We struggle with this throughout the day with high spirits and, at points, questionable intentions. When one feels the other is being unpleasant or cruel we are to put our hand up. It becomes a sign of appeal. My sarcasm is quashed at source by a raised hand and an early morning's promise.

My life would be dull without the Chief.

In the evening he pays me the highest compliment when, after introducing me to someone who I fall into instant animated conversation with, he insists as I leave, "She's MY friend."

Today's blog post is late as those of you up with the lark will know. I'm blaming wine, which is easier than blaming myself. If anything can stop me writing, it's booze. I have made a New Year's vow not to skip a day however, so I always have to make up the posts.

I spend the evening with Bean, eating pizza, listening to music and drinking chianti. He makes me laugh, a lot, and we share an interest in the quirkier facts of the world. He listened to me talk about the West Africa Squadron for ages and managed to appear genuinely interested. He also laughed when I tell him that he has to sleep in my room this time while I take the front room, as I have become afraid of the howling window. I am also a little shocked by how much better I sleep on my small, worn out couch than on my barely year-old new bed.


Tonight's poem for Bean.
Number 254 Emily Dickinson

"Hope" is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -


And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore could be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird -

That kept so many warm -


I've heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet, never, in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of Me.




"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with."
Tennessee Williams.

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