Posted on: November 27, 2009
Van Gogh, self portrait. 1887.
This past October, we were blessed with a remarkable collection of Van Gogh’s letters, newly translated and complete, without censorship.
Vincent van Gogh: The Letters: The Complete Illustrated and Annotated Edition (Vol. 1 – 6) (Hardcover)
~ Nienke Bakker (Editor), Leo Jansen (Editor), Hans Luijten (Editor)
The collection contains pretty much every one of his paintings, is heavily annotated, and runs to more than 2000 pages. For those of you who would rather not buy the book, his letters are now online at vangoghletters.org. Will blog a bit about the collection after I return from holiday excursions.
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Posted on: November 24, 2009
Moonlit Seascape with Shipwreck, by Ivan Aivazovsky (1817−1900)
The Trick
The payment came too late
To avoid eviction
He gave her the red red rose
Before I could
I chase trains daily
With each slipping out
Of my overstretched hands
Like a moon on temporary
Leave from wave duty
Like a moon traversing
Its promise of rhythm
And light for the clergy
Day after day she cried
And stopped when I walked in
Books strewn on rolled up carpet
As if she were ready to go
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Posted on: November 17, 2009
Strict Joy, by The Swell Season. 2009
Markéta Irglová and Glen Hansard have followed their wonderful music from Once with another exceptional effort. It’s actually more assured, and shows greater musical variety and instrumentation, if not the appealing rawness of their first effort. They show no signs of a sophomore slump, nor any ill effects from their recent break up. Markéta, in fact, sounds far more in control of her own sweet vulnerability, and her fragile voice sounds further depths, especially on “I Have Loved you Wrong”. The ending moments of that song finds both Markéta and Glen harmonizing to soulful effect, reminiscent of African chants and Paul Simon.
The title, Strict Joy, continues their connection with literature, as it comes from a book of poem from 1931 by James Stephens. The name of their band, The Swell Season, is taken from a novel by the Czech writer, Josef Škvorecký.
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Posted on: November 9, 2009
Kennedy at the Berlin Wall. June 26th, 1963
The wall came down 20 years ago today. Just one. We had millions then. Perhaps billions. We still do. You see, even if there is a physical divide, it came about for reasons solely in our minds. Just in our minds. Not real. Not physical. Not necessary.
Fear, ignorance, stupidity, obstinate disregard for others, for the truth, for reality. Reality being, we need to get along to survive on this planet. We just do. We need to get along, work together, protect each other, and protect this planet. From the worst in all of us. From our worst impulses.
We have one home, one life, one chance.
They build walls to keep peace from settling into its natural place in our lives. They build walls, wage wars, spread hate, ignorance and despair, so…
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