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.


05 March 2022

Go West | 1992-2022


In the glasnost of 1993, Pet Shop Boys released their version of the 1992 Village People song Go West.

Thirty years later, it's day 8 of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. We watched Go West on Rage this morning with very mixed feelings as Tennant and Lowe, dressed in the yellow and blue of the Ukraine flag, walk through Red Square pointing Russia the way West; then, guided and guarded by a red Black Lives Matter Statue of Liberty, as they lead their following of fellow freedom seekers up the Stairway to Heaven.

Come on, come on, come on, come on
(Together) we will go our way
(Together) we will leave someday
(Together) your hand in my hands
(Together) we will make our plans
(Together) we will fly so high
(Together) tell all our friends goodbye
(Together) we will start life new
(Together) this is what we'll do
life is peaceful there
(Go west) in the open air
(Go west) where the skies are blue
(Go west) this is what we're gonna do
(Go west, this is what we're gonna do, go west)
we will love the beach
(Together) we will learn and teach
(Together) change our pace of life
(Together) we will work and strive
I know you love me
(I want you) how could I disagree?
(So that's why) I make no protest
(When you say) you will do the rest
life is peaceful there
(Go west) in the open air
(Go west) baby you and me
(Go west) this is our destiny (aah)
(Go west) sun in wintertime
(Go west) we will do just fine
(Go west) where the skies are blue
(Go west, this is what we're gonna do)
There where the air is free
We'll be (we'll be) what we want to be (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Now if we make a stand (ah)
We'll find (we'll find) our promised land (ah)
there are many ways
(To live there) in the sun or shade
(Together) we will find a place
(To settle) where there's so much space
(Without rush) and the pace back east
(The hustling) rustling just to feed
(I know I'm) ready to leave too
(So that's what) we are gonna do
(What we're gonna do is)
life is peaceful there
(Go west) there in the open air
(Go west) where the skies are blue
(Go west) this is what we're gonna do
(Life is peaceful there)
Go west (in the open air)
Go west (baby, you and me)
Go west (this is our destiny)
Come on, come on, come on, come on
(Go west) sun in wintertime
(Go west) we will feel just fine
(Go west) where the skies are blue
(Go west) this is what we're gonna do
(Come on, come on, come on)

Theatre of the Armies of Regard   
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