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.


10 October 2009

2009 Swiss-Italian Festa Parade

.
Saturday morning. We open the door to a clear blue sky and the sound of a brass band rehearsing. It's the Victorian Youth Brass Band, with players from all over the State - "We're from Echuca", a proud mother of two trumpeters tells me - and they're playing that great simple 6os hit by The Turtles, Happy Together.
For a moment, all seems perfect.
I can see me lovin' nobody but you
For all my life
When you're with me baby the skies'll be blue
For all my life
Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice
It had to be
The only one for me is you
And you for me
So happy together
Recently I've been listening again to Frank Zappa's 200 Motels. The Mothers of Invention line-up for that features 'Flo and Eddie' who had earlier formed The Turtles.

Anyway, so begins the annual Swiss-Italian Festa Parade along the main street of Hepburn Springs.



Led by the local brass band (above, with the famous Macaroni Factory in the background); then the district's primary schools' children and parents; Swiss with cow bells and long horns; Italians with flowers and flags; and the many locals who also join the grand parade down to the Springs. Every year, at some point on this walk, I feel my heart leap .


detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something . . .

LOGOS/HA HA