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.
Such a pleasure this morning to listen again to Andrew Ford's Music Show celebration of the centenary of Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
[Verse 2:]
Oh dear I wonder where my basket can be
(So do we, so do we, so do we, so do we, so do we)
Oh gee I wish that little girl I could see
(So do we, so do we, so do we, so do we, so do we)
Oh why was I so careless
With that basket of mine?
That itty bitty basket
Was a joy of mine!
[Chorus:]
A-tisket
A-tasket
I lost my yellow basket
click image to enlarge Won't someone help me
Find my basket
And make me happy again?
[Verse 3:]
(Was it green?) No, no, no, no
(Was it red?) No, no, no, no
(Was it blue?) No, no, no, no
Just a little yellow basket
A little yellow basket
FIAPCE
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
