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Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Morning thoughts

Picture credit: One of two by Jamey Novick that I'll use for publicity purposes for The Throne of Psyche. This one's the more mischievous of the two.

Meter is so very fascinating and cool: yesterday’s poem has a line about metal flexing and returning to shape. The line has one trochaic foot, and it is at the point of flexing.

Lions move wonderfully. No wonder it was “hep cat” and not “hep gerbil” or “hep hedgehog.”

I have lived for twelve years in a cold Yankee place where one cannot buy so simple an item as a jockstrap for a little (not so little!) wrestling boy. Or a white Oxford shirt for his concert. So now I shall go waste hours zipping down to Oneonta and shopping. It’s a good thing this village is beautiful.

I am having a grand sluice. Twenty-one related poems since October 17, the last written in the last hour. I love it when madness bristles up and gives one a frisky shaking.

When will I ever have time to read again? A child in constant sports with 8th-grade homework (we must get them ready for high school, no matter if sleep and dream and play must be abolished!) is a time-devourer. I am so terribly behind on reading novels by friends and penpals as well as others. Nevertheless, I am reading The Cloud of Unknowing piecemeal, plus poems. Medieval minds fascinate.

I need a brownie, a house elf, a maid. Could use a good secretary. Alas, I have: me. No doubt I do not deserve more.

Feeling worried about future solvency of college-age progeny. One called yesterday to consult on a sonnet. The other is writing stories. (She also sent Stephen Fry on grammar naziis: http://www.geekosystem.com/stephen-fry-grammar/.) Must remember to introduce The Concept of Day Job.

11 comments:

  1. Lovely picture! Hope you're well :)

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  2. Marly,
    I am so happy to hear that you are writing and writing! That's wonderful news! I am looking forward to seeing some of it sometime.
    And I do agree with you about lions as well as just ordinary cats. They do move wonderfully well, so much better than gerbils, hedgehogs, and perhaps anything but anacondas.
    RE: reading, what's that? Haven't done any in so long!!

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  3. Hello, Tweedledee and Tweedledum--

    How nice to have alliterative visitors!

    Robin, yes I am well and swamped but need to go and see your bloggy news and shall (though not today! I am recruited for math and French help at the moment... And I am behind on Dread Housework because I have been writing instead, and that is good and bad.)

    Robbi,
    Yes, I am riding the big wave at the moment and hope not to be capsized right away.
    I really must read. I have so many books in my stack. It has toppled and is starting to be a landscape feature.
    Hurrah for lions!

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  4. Good luck with the concept of day job! It's important. There are even fun day jobs to be had, it turns out, if they are lucky.

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  5. And then there are the wild-wire extra jobs... Sock monkey panics!

    We need more lawyers marrying potters and docs marrying poets and so on. That'll probably be the next thing legislated.

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  6. Oh, we could all use a brownie or two around the house. Great photo. I am envious of your sluice.

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  7. Jarvenpa,

    I think it would take a whole pack of busy brownies to catch me up. Brownie pack? Brownie pan? I wonder what the plural noun is...

    And thanks!

    And I am probably envious it too--thinking of the time when it will be over. Not yet, please!

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  8. As ever, a brief glimpse into a-day-in-the-life-of-Marly-Youmans eaves me breathless and speechless. How do you do this? What's your secret ingredient? Where can I go to buy some?

    Why aren't you running America? You could you know! Then you'd have house-brownies in droves to do your bidding!

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  9. Clive,

    You are sweet. My mind is more of riot, perhaps, than an efficient machine!

    Given how I feel about most politicians, it's probably best that I refrain from running the country. I'm already hideously self-critical, and that might do me in.

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  10. Hey, what happened to the post I was going to toast you with champagne for? This is a very nice photo, , but DO let me draw and take photos of you when you're here next time. This one still doesn't quite have the essential Marly in it. I am so happy to have some time again to visit friends' blogs---you are a marvelous writer and it's such a privilege to be able to dip in and out of your world this way. Congratulations on your award, too!!!

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  11. It was premature! Shall post again later.

    I'm glad you find the photo acceptable, even if it is not the Frankstonian eye. Yes, we shall have to do that some time, and then I will have a Laurelinian mug on my next book!

    Thank you for the compliment--it's always pleasant to be in a mutual admiration society.

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Alas, I must once again remind large numbers of Chinese salesmen and other worldwide peddlers that if they fall into the Gulf of Spam, they will be eaten by roaming Balrogs. The rest of you, lovers of grace, poetry, and horses (nod to Yeats--you do not have to be fond of horses), feel free to leave fascinating missives and curious arguments.