David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


16 January 2020

Laughing Songs of TAR ( Olivier Messiaen )


DANCE OF BÉBÉ PILULE (FOR MY LITTLE PASCAL)
words and music by Olivier Messiaen

Pilule, come let’s dance.
Malonlanlaine, ma.
Strands of sunshine.
Malonlanlaine, ma.
It’s the alphabet of laughter
at your mother’s fingertips.
Her perpetual yes
was a tranquil lake.
Malonlanlaine, ma, ma.
Gentleness of staircases,
surprise at the turnings of doors.
All the light birds
take flight from your hands.
Light birds, pebbles,
refrains, light cream.
Into blue fish,
into blue moons,
halos of earth and water,
a single lung in a single reed.
Io, malonlaine, ma.
The disarmed eye,
an angel on the head, 
your little nose raised
towards the blue which swallows itself,
hemming the glass horizons
with gilded cries, you offered
your heart so pure.
To sing, to sing, ah! to sing,
gleaner of stars, braids of life,
could you sing
more delightfully?
The wind on your ears,
Malonlanlaine, ma.
Plays leap-frog,
Malonlanlaine, ma.
and your mother’s
watchful eye and presence
Shedding one hour
around my smile.
Malonlanlaine, ma.
lo! ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, io, io!


Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
 detail
 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
 someone looks at something...
  
 LOGOS/HA HA


   
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