On Sunday my husband suggested a stroll down to the beach and a pub lunch. Lovely! Till I discovered that one of the reasons he had had such an idea was the presence of an old London bus on the esplanade - one of his interests.....
So hubby goes off to investigate bus and talk sprockets and accumulators (or some such) with its owner, leaving me standing by the bus, watching a regatta on the beach opposite and soaking up the sun.
Along comes one of those men you know instinctively is a) a bus spotter b) still living with his mum even though he's about 45. I would take bets on the fact that his backpack contained a packed lunch she'd made him, a spare jumper she insisted he bring and a pac-a-mac. Oh, and a notebook for taking bus numbers and spare camera.
His actual camera was slung round his neck and poised for action as he approached.
presumably he thought I suspected him of trying to take a sneaky photo of me, because on noticing me standing there he assured me:
'Don't worry love - I'm only interested in the bus.'
I guess I should have been devastated that my womanly charms had been spurned in favour of a vehicle which is older than me - although if preserved vehicles generally are anything to go by, it would have had considerable reconstructive surgery, a route down which I have never felt the need to travel....
....but actually, looking at him, I thought 'Yes - you probably are....'
Wednesday 13 May 2009
Tuesday 12 May 2009
Sex and Drugs and Poetry
The main catalyst for this blog is the news story of Derek Walcott withdrawing from the shortlisted candidates for the appointment of the Oxford Professor of Poetry after anonymous allegations of his sexual harassment of students.
I am undecided about this story – especially since no one knows what actually went on except the people involved, and one of the facets of modern society that I abhor is Trial By Media.
On one hand, I have a very strong feeling that a professional must act professionally or take the consequences, especially if s/he is in a position of trust and / or care over younger, more vulnerable people. So if it is true that Mr Walcott used his power over students to lower grades as a 'punishment' for them refusing his advances, then he has done the right thing in withdrawing.
However, if he has been forced to take this action through unfounded allegations, that is sad and unfair. Who knows?
The one thing I do know is that poetry and scandal seem to have co-existed for centuries. It may be that the creative spark that engenders the poetry also engenders a disrespect - healthy or otherwise - for social convention.
If you want sexual scandals, they abound, from the Earl of Rochester's nose dropping off from syphilis, through Shakespeare's aleged relationship with the Earl of Southampton (as well as at least one 'godson' whose birth resulted from something other than an act of God), past Byron and on to Dylan Thomas and Philip Larkin - who would believe the man often portrayed as a dried up librarian had three mistresses simultaneously (that he admitted to...)?
Then - and a recent conversation with a friend about Thomas de Quincey reminded me of this - there are the drug addicts who wrote their best poems whilst under the influence of something more tangible than Calliope or Euterpe: I love the image of Coleridge penning 'Kubla Khan' whilst self-medicating on laudanum, only to be disturbed and find his muse had deserted him along with the hallucinogens.
It must be said there is a very clear differential between behaviour that defies - or more probably just ignores - social mores, and using blackmail - emotional, sexual or financial. If - and it is an 'if' - Mr Walcott is guilty as charged, the above does nothing to excuse such behaviour.
But if we only give out plaudits to creative talents belonging to those whose personal lives are squeaky clean according to the morals of the day, then I fear we have a small pool from which to draw . I enjoy a range of creative output - from the Romantic poets to Freddie Mercury - of people whose private behaviour some parts of society disapprove - but then I don't have to live with them, so it's not my business - I can just admire the poetry, music, for what it is - sheer genius.
I am undecided about this story – especially since no one knows what actually went on except the people involved, and one of the facets of modern society that I abhor is Trial By Media.
On one hand, I have a very strong feeling that a professional must act professionally or take the consequences, especially if s/he is in a position of trust and / or care over younger, more vulnerable people. So if it is true that Mr Walcott used his power over students to lower grades as a 'punishment' for them refusing his advances, then he has done the right thing in withdrawing.
However, if he has been forced to take this action through unfounded allegations, that is sad and unfair. Who knows?
The one thing I do know is that poetry and scandal seem to have co-existed for centuries. It may be that the creative spark that engenders the poetry also engenders a disrespect - healthy or otherwise - for social convention.
If you want sexual scandals, they abound, from the Earl of Rochester's nose dropping off from syphilis, through Shakespeare's aleged relationship with the Earl of Southampton (as well as at least one 'godson' whose birth resulted from something other than an act of God), past Byron and on to Dylan Thomas and Philip Larkin - who would believe the man often portrayed as a dried up librarian had three mistresses simultaneously (that he admitted to...)?
Then - and a recent conversation with a friend about Thomas de Quincey reminded me of this - there are the drug addicts who wrote their best poems whilst under the influence of something more tangible than Calliope or Euterpe: I love the image of Coleridge penning 'Kubla Khan' whilst self-medicating on laudanum, only to be disturbed and find his muse had deserted him along with the hallucinogens.
It must be said there is a very clear differential between behaviour that defies - or more probably just ignores - social mores, and using blackmail - emotional, sexual or financial. If - and it is an 'if' - Mr Walcott is guilty as charged, the above does nothing to excuse such behaviour.
But if we only give out plaudits to creative talents belonging to those whose personal lives are squeaky clean according to the morals of the day, then I fear we have a small pool from which to draw . I enjoy a range of creative output - from the Romantic poets to Freddie Mercury - of people whose private behaviour some parts of society disapprove - but then I don't have to live with them, so it's not my business - I can just admire the poetry, music, for what it is - sheer genius.
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