Poetry Corner - May 2010

As a budding writer, I have decided to use the blog to occasionally share some of my own work. This is one of the few poems I have written. I tend to prefer prose, but a couple of fellow writers have said they found this really powerful, so here goes. It is autobiographical - perhaps this is why it resonated with them.

CLEARED FOR DEPARTURE (MARCH 2009)




He supine, insignificant, on a white bed.

A thousand miles away,

I watch the clouds pass

And feel infinitely closer

Than when he sat beside me.



Absolute pronouncements,

“No daughter of mine”.

Wise monkey to a child of ten,

Cuts no ice with a grown woman.

No fond goodbye from Daddy’s little girl.



I arrive; he is gone.

Departed with jet speed.

Destination unknown.

What remains is a husk.

Simply combustible.

A BOOK FOR OUR TIMES - A.J.DUGGAN'S "SCARS BENEATH THE SKIN"

I wanted to take this opportunity to recommend a book published last year by a friend of mine, A.J. Duggan. This is his first novel and it is a book whose ideas will resonate with everyone at this point in time. It is the story of one man's reaction to being touched by terrorism and how he gropes his way back to a normal life.

Buy it on Amazon or from the author's website - see below

http://www.ajduggan.co.uk/index.htm

Support new writers - it is the only way to nurture new talent.

Thanks

Oh, To Be in England

Spring is finally here and not before time. A weekend when you didn't have to go out in thermals or a snorkle!

Spent the weekend in the garden cleaning out the winter debris and potting miniture daffs (see left!). Sadly they don't last long but what glorious colour whilst they do!

CHERRY PINK, A JAPANESE NATIONAL OBSESSION.

For the British, the arrival of any blossom heralds the arrival of Spring. In Japan, it’s all about the cherry.

The Brits are a nation obsessed with data - train times, the weather, bus timetables, but we pale into insignificance when compared to Japan. What other country in the world would have a national daily report on trees? Celebration of the arrival of this beautiful pink blossom is a wonderful cultural tradition, but it is so much more serious than that.

Before visiting Tokyo for the first time in March, I decided to monitor my chances of blossom viewing via the internet. I quickly realised its national importance by the amount of internet space dedicated to the phenomena. The more I read, the more I could not believe the obsession. There was talk of forecasters being deeply shamed for failing to predict the first day correctly; national apologies and much loss of face (Michael Fish, be thankful that you’re not Japanese).

Clement weather is as important as the blossom itself. Too strong a wind and it can all be over in hours. Individuals and company groups stake out their places under the best trees with large pieces of uniform blue tarpaulin at the first signs of the buds opening (and in some cases before). On my first visit to Ueno Park, it looked like the world’s largest tent city. Although on closer inspection, it was obvious that they were all far from down and out, sporting more designer labels between them than a Paris catwalk.

People arrive straight from work, still in suits and ties, kick off their shoes and sally forth onto a sea of blue tarp. Sitting with graceful elegance, they eat picnic or bento meals and drink copious amounts of Sapporo. Then, once the carousing is over, there’s the packing up. Even after large amounts of alcohol, it is still de rigour to clear up after yourself. All rubbish is neatly put away into the eco-friendly, segregated rubbish bins provided by the city.

Then everyone wends their way home - another sight for the unwary Gaijin (foreigner). Grey haired captains of industry weave up and down underground stations, more comic than threatening. Then the long sleep home, preferably leaning on the shoulder of the passenger sitting next to you on the underground.


Nothing like this exists in Britain - I have never seen anything come close, anywhere else in the world. It is as essentially as Japanese as Nissan. A “must see” sight for visitors to Japan and residents alike. It will draw you back time and time again - once seen, always smitten.

The “sakura zensen” (cherry blossom front) advances from the southern islands of Okinawa to the northern islands of Hokkaido from March to May

Vintage European Geisha

This is one of my many obsessions in life - collecting period postcards of European women dressed up as geisha! I have always loved Japan and have visited twice. After my first trip, I happened to come across a real photo postcard of a group of Victorian girls dressed in kimonos and so the interest was born. I was intrigued to know why they were dressed like this, but obviously standing in a farmers field somewhere in Southern England!

Until the mid 1800's, Japan had remained a country closed to the outside world. Under military pressure from both America and Great Britain, its borders were finally relaxed and all things Japanese became fashionable and remained so right into the early 20th century.

Art and architecture was influenced (Whistler's paintings; Aubrey Beardsley's line drawings and Charles Rennie Macintosh's architecture). And so the mania for the "Japonaise" style began. Liberty's took up the style in their homewares; William Morris was influenced by their printing styles and even Gilbert & Sullivan took on the judicial system in the Mikado!
At home, the general public wanted to be fashionable, but often were ill advised. Not many had been to Japan and the information on Japanese culture was patchy at best. Women took to wearing the soft "bun" styles of Japan at the turn of the 20th century (think the Gibson girl) and started to dress up for photos in what they thought a kimono should be. Unfortunately it is a complex garment and difficult to put on - so many of my photographs show ladies who have improvised (with hysterical results). This wasn't limited to the public - actresses of screen and stage also got on the band wagon - and got it beautifully wrong.

See my collection on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/harcourt/sets/72157604040530732
(but please do not use the images without my permission!)

Cracking Antiques - Cracking Shame!

I tuned into the newest Antiques show last night (Weds BBC 2 - 8.30pm) hoping to be blown away by the promised spectacle of a French Boudoir. It was more like yucky French toast - soggy and unsatisfying.

It started badly - I have no warmth for Kathryn Rayward (one time "house renovation" TV show subject turned "Antiques dealer") and her limp fish presenting partner was not inspiring me either. However I stuck with it.

Cracking Antiques promised to turn a bedroom into a Boudoir for a woman who didn't like "second hand" (it's all full of germs - as if she had never slept in anyone elses bed before - hotels anyone!)

There was much talk about Rococo - when it should have been "Rococo-inspired" at best and the end product was less than inspiring. The lampshade looked like a reject from the bird house at London Zoo and they had built a revolting set of fitted wardrobes (completely out of keeping with the rest of the room).

I was really sad that they didn't spend more time trawling for the really good items that we all know are out there or encouraging viewers to look at their local fair and car boots for reasonably priced inspiration.

The man with all the charisma (not) was good on his glass and Ercol - knew his stuff, but again had the personality of a wet lettuce leaf!

Sorry BBC2 - you've lost a viewer - sky plus now firmly switched off!

It's been a long time!

It's been ages since I last blogged anything - at least two years - and so much has changed. I am still a vintage addict and love the Arts, but I have changed my job and my partner (after 20 years!) - so everything is new at present.

That's why I was inspired to take up the blogging again - a fresh start - and I was inspired by all the wonderful vintage bloggers.

So I will try to review things that I watched on TV or places that I go to that others might be interested in.