February 14th Saint Valentine is one of the few festivals which have increased in popularity in recent decades, and it shows no sign of going out of fashion. Despite having an undisputed history spanning at least 600 years, the origins of the festival are still obscure, and the only certainty is that it has nothing … Continue reading Saints of The English Year – St. Valentine
[close the aperture] three boys, at the tyne’s edge, sit, in silhouette, atop some metal structure that they should not be sat atop. a gang on a gangway. their legs hang beneath them. they have liberated one of the wreaths from the gravel of the nearby merchant seamans’ memorial. they talk measuredly, loudly, as they … Continue reading close to the aperture [close the aperture]
[oblong of light] the tyne ferry sketches across the river from the north side & sidles, beautifully, up to the south pier with such grace that I wonder if the river, tonight, is not brack, but brandy. the voyage is only some six minutes, but always a delight & well worth the £3.60 return fare. … Continue reading close to the aperture [oblong of light]
February 10th: Saint Scholastica (c.480-c.543) established a convent at Plombariola in Italy and was the sister of Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine monastic order. Brother and sister met regularly to discuss spiritual topics, and it is said that when Benedict wanted to go home after one such meeting, Scholastica successfully prayed for a storm … Continue reading Saints of The English Year – St. Scholastica
[applied to wax] bringing it all back home: subterranean homesick blues, lyrically, stands head & shoulders over almost any rocknroll number ever applied to wax, doesn’t it? it still brings a thrill to my heart & head & delivers a shiver across my shoulders, a glory to my nape, this very evening; perhaps now even … Continue reading close to the aperture [applied to wax]
[george] the shop was called 'the end' and had been for twenty five years. i remember though, in the beginning, for the five years before that, it was called 'scratch'. one warm evening in 2015, george, i & two former colleagues, both called philip (but known, separately, for reasons long lost to me - but … Continue reading close to the aperture [george]
