E. E. Cummings on a sunny day

I would like to dedicate the following post to Deirdre, who encouraged me to blog with kind words....

This poem has meant a lot to me since childhood. I illustrated it a while ago as a gift to someone. The simplistic style is reflective of the poem and the ocean which is allegorical and literal. The painting can be folded into a small card, although I now understand it's on the bedroom wall.

maggie and milly and molly and may

by E. E. Cummings

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

E.E Cummings led an interesting life by some accounts (see his namelink); how do we know the truth unless perhaps you knew him as a friend? What is apparent is that at some point in his life he had strong principles and stood up for them, I admire that...

Merci Deirdre, bisous

Patience, truth, journey

I remember driving through this thick morning fog just a few months ago in Richmond Park. All the cars toddled politely in twenty mile per hour long rows. Hence my taking out my camera and snapping this earthbound cloud. After a while I thought that the camera flash (ignited in those daylight hours) might distract the other drivers. There were also no stags to photograph (this park is famous for stags). So I sat back in my seat and tried to enjoy the pace and hoped that I would not be late, which I don't like to be, at all.

The whole picture reminds me of certain moments in life that some of us have come across or may come across.

The car is you on your journey with your own true thoughts. A realisation occurs, both empowering and fresh. But, out of the corner of your eye you notice other cars driving past you. These are other people's thoughts or more precisely, the fear of others' thoughts.

The fog doesn't help, this stands for confusion and angst in the face of this new thought. I think every great scientist and every soul with an ounce of courage must have lived that journey at some point. "I know my thoughts are right, but what will others think of me?"

Truth is a beautiful thing. One thing we need to remember is that not all truth comes easily. But it is always, always worth it.

Peace,

xxx

Why can't she sleep?

Did I have coffee today? I think not, nothing stronger than a Red Bull.... it's never worked before. Note to self, stop buying Red Bull. Second Note to self, stop typing notes to self.

I remembered the part in Alice in Wonderland where Alice chances upon the Queen's (the one that was simply a card) subjects, who are painting the white rose tree, red - satirical and amusing, reread the book, and if you haven't already got it then go to project gutenberg and read it there:

"Would you tell me, please," said Alice, a little timidly, "why you are painting those roses?".....

So I had to paint and the result was this rather large canvas above.

Things to do before you're thirty

1) Start an anonymous blog

It is nearly 4am in London and I am just tired enough to keep this one short and sweet, well, sweet perhaps:

Dear God, I hope I enjoy this 'blog'. The word itself sounds cartoon-like but I hope the entries will be anything but otherwise. They ought to involve writing, travel, memories, dreams and truth.

This is an anonymous one, for the most part. I doubt my friends could find me here. Not that I don't want that, but it will be fun for a while to play hide and seek and write quietly....
So this is me Clarity in Wonderland, quoting Lewis Carroll (real name: Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, really):

"Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?''
"Begin at the beginning," the King said gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop."

~Alice in Wonderland (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)