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.


28 June 2014

face off

                  
If we hadn't been in red + black at the docklands stadium last night for the great BOMBERS v CATS contest ...
    

          
... we'd have been at the NGV for Kirin J Callinan.

 Love Delay 
       
You, you, you, you and I
I'll keep you in my mind
Standing there in your underwear
With your long, black hair
Please wait, please wait
Please wait, I've been a fool
But when the train stops calling
And the clouds sit on the floor
When hands thank you
And views look back, you
When tomorrow can't wait for you
Please wait
When silence bows for you
And the dogs feed the boy

You know me fire
You know me fire
You know me fire
You know me fire
You know me fire
You know me fire
You know me fire
You know me fire
You

Wait, please wait
When the train stops calling
And clouds sit on the floor
When hands thank you
And views look back
When the world stops talking
When truth lies broken
Will we still know?
May we still love?
We will die alone
We will die alone
We will die alone
                 


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

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