Eric Hoffer, self-educated moral and social philosopher. and longshoreman, was born on 25 July (or 15 July) 1902 in The Bronx, New York. His parents were immigrants from Alsace, then part of Imperial Germany.Of his early life, Hoffer wrote: “I had no schooling. I was practically blind up to the age of fifteen. When my… Read More The Longshoreman Philosopher
“Love is the extremely difficult realisation that something other than oneself is real. Love, and so art and morals, is the discovery of reality.“ Iris Murdoch (Anglo-Irish novelist and philosopher, born on 15 July 1919 in Dublin) The Jewish Bride (detail), a painting by Rembrandt, born on 15 July 1606 in Leiden “L’amore è il… Read More 15 July: Love
Singer, songwriter Barry White, died of kidney failure caused by hypertension on 4 July 2003, aged 58.He was a precursor to the disco era, which was influenced by his repetitive melodies and danceable rhythms Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe I’ve heard people say thatToo much of anything is not good for you, baby(Oh… Read More Barry White
“Youth’s the Season Made for Joys” is one of the songs (Air XXII) from The Beggar’s Opera (see here) Youth’s the season made for joys,Love is then our duty;She alone who that employs,Well deserves her beauty.Let’s be gay,While we may,Beauty’s a flower despis’d in decay. Let us drink and sport to-day,Ours is not tomorrow.Love with… Read More John Gay & An Air from The Beggar’s Opera (2)
Hush Before Love A voice rose in the darkness saying “Love,”And in the stall the scattered mice grew still,Where yet the white ox slept, and on the sillThe crowing cock paused, and the grey house doveTurned twice about upon the ledge above. Djuna Barnes (from A Book, 1923) SILENZIO PRIMA DELL’AMORE Nell’oscurità si levò una… Read More “Hush Before Love” by D. Barnes
“Some kids in Italy call me ‘Mama Jazz’; I thought that was so cute. As long as they don’t call me ‘Grandma Jazz.’” Ella Fitzgerald, the most popular female jazz singer for more than half a century, died on 15 June 1996, twenty-five years ago.She was often referred to as Lady Ella, the First Lady… Read More Mama Jazz
“Serenade” by Djuna Barnes Three paces down the shore, low sounds the lute,The better that my longing you may know;I’m not asking you to come,But—can’t you go? Three words, “I love you,” and the whole is said—The greatness of it throbs from sun to sun;I’m not asking you to walk,But—can’t you run? Three paces in… Read More “Serenade”
Thomas Hardy and his first wife Emma had long been estranged when she died in 1912: her death prompted a series of poems which are viewed as being among his best work. In “The Voice”, which deals with love, death, grief, and memories, the poet aments over the loss of his beloved, whose presence is… Read More The Voice
How the wind howls this mornAbout the end of May,And drives June on apaceTo mock the world forlornAnd the world-s joy passed awayAnd my unlonged-for face!The world-s joy passed away;For no more may I deemThat any folk are gladTo see the dawn of daySunder the tangled dreamWherein no grief they had.Ah, through the tangled dreamWhere… Read More The End Of May
The second treatments of the Eloisa and Abelard story written by Australian poet Gwen Harwood and published in 1961 under the male pseudonym of Walter Lehmann is ‘Abelard to Eloisa.’ (The first was ‘Eloisa to Abelard’ : see here) Now it is Abelard ‘s turn to speak and he addresses passionate words of love and… Read More Gwen Harwood and Abelard (2)
