At eleven, Venetia Burney had a
keen interest in astronomy and myths.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4596246.stm
August 27, 2006
The girl who named Pluto
At eleven, Venetia Burney had a
keen interest in astronomy and myths.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4596246.stm
Venetia Burney´s Tears
They used to be a bunch of nine
Orbiting ´round the sun,
Though one of them was rather small
And fire, it had none,
Instead an icy, freezing shell
And an eccentric run.
“Why don´t you name it Pluto?”
I suggested to grandpa,
And after some discussion
On the planetary bar
They seemed to fancy what I said
So that was set so far.
Henceforth dear Pluto was an honorable
Member of the club,
Like Venus, Mars and Jupiter,
And it was never snobbed.
Those giants liked its funny ways
And all three moons it brought.
But then sly astronomers met
From hundred different nations
About the Kuiper Belt they tried
Some serious conversations
That ended in a hue and cry
Of all those delegations.
“Count Pluto out!”, screamed one of them,
“He is too wee to stay,
And Charon, Ceres, Xena; oh!
Those we must keep away,
To open floodgates to them all
We firmly must say `nay´!”
“Pluto has always been a planet”,
Yelled another one,
“How dare you change our history,
Traditions all-time long?
By sentiment and public meaning
Pluto´s myth grew strong!”
“Enough!”, said Doctor Jocelyn Bell,
Solution we must find,
Stop all this hassle and get back
To acuteness of mind!”
And finally `dwarf planet´ was
The grade that they did find.
That is the story how my fast friend
Made of rock and ice
Lost all its planetary status
In a game of dice,
Now when snow falls watch me shed tears
For Pluto´s fall and rise.
Orbiting ´round the sun,
Though one of them was rather small
And fire, it had none,
Instead an icy, freezing shell
And an eccentric run.
“Why don´t you name it Pluto?”
I suggested to grandpa,
And after some discussion
On the planetary bar
They seemed to fancy what I said
So that was set so far.
Henceforth dear Pluto was an honorable
Member of the club,
Like Venus, Mars and Jupiter,
And it was never snobbed.
Those giants liked its funny ways
And all three moons it brought.
But then sly astronomers met
From hundred different nations
About the Kuiper Belt they tried
Some serious conversations
That ended in a hue and cry
Of all those delegations.
“Count Pluto out!”, screamed one of them,
“He is too wee to stay,
And Charon, Ceres, Xena; oh!
Those we must keep away,
To open floodgates to them all
We firmly must say `nay´!”
“Pluto has always been a planet”,
Yelled another one,
“How dare you change our history,
Traditions all-time long?
By sentiment and public meaning
Pluto´s myth grew strong!”
“Enough!”, said Doctor Jocelyn Bell,
Solution we must find,
Stop all this hassle and get back
To acuteness of mind!”
And finally `dwarf planet´ was
The grade that they did find.
That is the story how my fast friend
Made of rock and ice
Lost all its planetary status
In a game of dice,
Now when snow falls watch me shed tears
For Pluto´s fall and rise.
August 25, 2006
August 21, 2006
Analysis Paralysis
What is he really thinking?
What is he working on?
Coming for me unhoped for
Or going it alone?
Why is he not affected?
Why isn´t he in need
For everything we shared?
Hasn´t loss made him bleed?
Where are our hopes and trust?
Where is our unity?
His acts dilute our happiness
Like sandstones in the sea.
Will I ever see through this,
Will I yet truly know?
Turning around in circles
I´m wondering where to go.
When will I stop to hope?
When will I stop to wait
For movement and decision,
For him to get it straight?
Who can I call for remedy?
Who offers me protection
From reverie and mirages,
From waste and alienation?
How can I find my strength again?
How can I ressurrect
From torment and exclusion,
Find dignity to act?
Extinction and oblivion,
Is this the only way?
Am I supposed to take it
Or wait another day?
This was written some time ago; re-edited recently: thanks Farkas and Luke for support:-)
What is he working on?
Coming for me unhoped for
Or going it alone?
Why is he not affected?
Why isn´t he in need
For everything we shared?
Hasn´t loss made him bleed?
Where are our hopes and trust?
Where is our unity?
His acts dilute our happiness
Like sandstones in the sea.
Will I ever see through this,
Will I yet truly know?
Turning around in circles
I´m wondering where to go.
When will I stop to hope?
When will I stop to wait
For movement and decision,
For him to get it straight?
Who can I call for remedy?
Who offers me protection
From reverie and mirages,
From waste and alienation?
How can I find my strength again?
How can I ressurrect
From torment and exclusion,
Find dignity to act?
Extinction and oblivion,
Is this the only way?
Am I supposed to take it
Or wait another day?
This was written some time ago; re-edited recently: thanks Farkas and Luke for support:-)
August 20, 2006
August 16, 2006
At Some Hotel
Compulsive glass doors open and close
And wide-open their mouth once again
To suck me into some crowded stills,
A course that I cannot prevent.
Familiar formation of welcome words,
Bare void must be covered or filled.
Bustling activity, babble of voices,
Lips showing meaningless grins.
I enter the lift that climbs up to the cell,
Is there sanctuary for a while?
A click-clack and yet another door snaps,
Yellow light and a telly that whirrs.
Rectangular forms, built up and arranged
To fit ever revolving schemes,
Still no rapport is there, no homelike feel,
Instead yearning and loneliness sneer.
Looking out of the window I seek for a clue
Or a possible hint of fate,
But Warsaw´s front remains cold and hostile
For my keen lucky streak has passed by.
And wide-open their mouth once again
To suck me into some crowded stills,
A course that I cannot prevent.
Familiar formation of welcome words,
Bare void must be covered or filled.
Bustling activity, babble of voices,
Lips showing meaningless grins.
I enter the lift that climbs up to the cell,
Is there sanctuary for a while?
A click-clack and yet another door snaps,
Yellow light and a telly that whirrs.
Rectangular forms, built up and arranged
To fit ever revolving schemes,
Still no rapport is there, no homelike feel,
Instead yearning and loneliness sneer.
Looking out of the window I seek for a clue
Or a possible hint of fate,
But Warsaw´s front remains cold and hostile
For my keen lucky streak has passed by.
August 13, 2006
Polarization (final_August 21, 2006)
- “Hello, Eric!”
- “Alice? Is it really you, Alice McDuff??
- “Yes, it´s me. Hi, how are you?”
- “Good, thanks. Christ, I can´t believe it… how long has it been since we last talked?”
- “Umm, I don´t know … about a year, I guess…”
- “Right, exactly! We met at London-Heathrow, I was coming back from that Norwegian research mission, and you were just leaving for the continent..”
- “Oh yes, that was… curious, really. A curious meeting on a dreadful Airport.”
- “Haha, yeah. I remember very well… you had just split up with that fellow you had been so much in love with… and I told you that from my point of view, he was a coward and that you deserved better… what was his name again??
- "Aww no, Eric, please don´t....."
- "Anyway… you were pretty sad at that time, beautifully sad if I may say…. I hope you got over him by now… you do have, have you??”
- "Hmmmm. Listen, Eric. I need your help.”
- “Anytime, baby. What can I do for you? Another emotional rescue needed, or..???”
- “What do you know about *Polarization*?"
- “Polarization”? You mean, as in “plane polarization”?
- "I don´t know, you tell me, you´re the scientist! But yeah, I guess… You know, last Friday when I drove back from work in my car, I heard on the radio that birds use polarization for their orientation… I thought that this is a very interesting phenomenom… and a good thread for a write. So I´d like to know more about it. I remembered that you have been doing some research on that stuff last year.. so, what can you tell me about it?”
- “Well, okay. You asked for it. So let´s start with some basics:
“Polarization: The simplest manifestation of polarization to visualize is that of a plane wave, which is a good approximation to most light waves (a plane wave is a wave with infinitely long and wide wavefronts). All electromagnetic waves propagating in free space or in a uniform material of infinite extent have electric and magnetic perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Conventionally, when considering polarization, the electric field vector described and the magnetic field is ignored since it is perpendicular to the electric field and proportional to it. The electric field vector may be arbitrarily divided into two perpendicular components labelled x and y (with z indicating the direction of travel). For a simple harmonic wave, where the amplitude of the electric vector varies in a sinusoidal manner, the two components have exactly the same frequency. However, these components have two other defining characteristics that can differ. First, the two components may not have the same amplitude. Second, the two components may not have the same phase, that is they may not reach their maxima and minima at the same time. The shape traced out in a fixed plane by the electric vector as such a plane wave passes over it (a Lissajous figure)... Can you follow, Alice?"
- “Sure, go on. I particularly fancy the part about the frequency and the presence or lack of synchronicity of amplitudes and phases… but please, continue.”
- "Okay. In nature, electromagnetic radiation is often produced by a large number of individual radiators, producing waves independently of each other. This type of light is described as incoherent. In general there is no single frequency but rather a spectrum of different frequencies present, and even if filtered to an arbitrarily narrow frequency range, there may not be a consistent state of polarization. However, this does not mean that polarization is only a feature of coherent radiation. Incoherent radiation may show statistical correlation between the components of the electric field, which can be interpreted as partial polarization. In general it is possible to describe an observed wave field as the sum of a completely incoherent part (no correlations) and a completely polarized part. One may then describe the light in terms of the degree of polarization, and the parameters of the polarization ellipse…”
- “…Incoherent radiation may show statistical correlation between the components of the electric field – partial polarization... Wow! This is complex and still so absolutely plausible. So in fact, there is a wide range of possible external circumstances for polarization to take place, but nevertheless the phenomenom is real and ever existing and revolving!”
- “Haha, yeah... kind of, if you wanna put it that way. But you particularily wanted to know about polarization in nature, didn´t you.”
- “That’s right. I want to know what it does to birds and bees and so on, what effects it has in everyday life.. but I also like it when you digress, Eric...”
- “Okay, Alice. Please listen and don´t interrupt me umteen times!
Polarization in nature, science, and technology: Light reflected by shiny transparent materials is partly or fully polarized, except when the light is normal to the surface. A polarizing filter, such as a pair of polarizing sunglasses, can be used to observe this by rotating the filter while looking through. At certain angles, the reflected light will be reduced or eliminated. Polarizing filters remove light polarized at 90° to the filter's polarization axis. If two polarizers are placed atop one another at 90° angles to one another, no light passes through..."
- "...no light passes through."
- "Exactly. And then, there´s polarization by scattering. It is observed as light passes through the atmosphere. The scattered light produces the brightness and color in clear skies. This partial polarization of scattered light can be used to darken the sky in photographs, increasing the contrast. This effect is easiest to observe at sunset, on the horizon at a 90° angle from the setting sun. Another easily observed effect is the drastic reduction in brightness of images of the sky and clouds reflected from horizontal surfaces, which is the main reason why polarizing filters are often used in sunglasses. Also frequently visible through polarizing sunglasses are rainbow-like patterns caused by color-dependent birefringent effects, for example in toughened glass (e.g. car windows) or items made from transparent plastics. The role played by polarization in the operation of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) is also frequently apparent to the wearer of polarizing sunglasses, which may reduce the contrast or even make the display unreadable…”
- “Oh Eric, do you think that people who wear these incredibly expensive, ugly sun-glasses are even aware of what´s happening to them when they look through those glasses? Maybe that´s a major but yet unconscious reason why so many people wear sunglasses, even when there´s no sunlight around…
But how about animals? They can perceive polarization of light without any aid, right?”
- "Don´t run out of patience, Alice! I can see you haven´t changed a bit. Concentrate!! And as I said: don´t interrupt me, please?!”
- “Aye, aye, Sir! »
- “OK, I´ll tell you in a second... listen to me... Many animals are apparently capable of perceiving the polarization of light, which is generally used for navigational purposes, since the linear polarization of sky light is always perpendicular to the direction of the sun. This ability is very common among the insects, including bees, which use this information to orient their communicative dances..."
- "Dance, little bee,
please dance for me..."
-" ...Polarization sensitivity has also been observed in species of octopus, squid, cuttlefish, and mantis shrimp. The rapidly changing, vividly colored skin patterns of cuttlefish, used for communication, also incorporate polarization patterns, and mantis shrimp are known to have polarization selective reflective tissue. Sky polarization can also be perceived by some vertebrates, including pigeons, for which the ability is but one of many aids to homing…”
- “An aid to homing…!!! Aw, this is stunning, really. But Eric… what about humans? I mean… do you think that humans are somehow influenced or guided by Polarization??"
- “Well, as far as we know, generally they are not. Some of us may be, though. The naked human eye is weakly sensitive to polarization, without the need for intervening filters. Polarized light creates a very faint pattern near the center of the visual field, called "Haidinger´s brush". This pattern is very difficult to see, but with practice one can learn to detect polarized light with the naked eye.”
- “Oh. I see. It needs continuous practice and perseverance. Things that most people never get ´round to.”
- “Right, you got it! Well, do you need to know more, or is it enough for a start.”
- “It is enough for today. Thank you so much! I have to digest and think about all this. I might also gather some further information on this on my own and ding you again for explanation in case I don´t manage to cope with it.”
- “You´re always welcome, Alice. I´m glad if I was helpful. But tell me… will you let me know about your write when you´ve finished it?"
- “Of course! You´ll be the first to read it, Eric.”
- “That´s almost all I wanted to hear, honey. Tho... Alice?"
-"Hmm?"
- "You still love that bastard, don´t you?"
(to be continued...)
- “Alice? Is it really you, Alice McDuff??
- “Yes, it´s me. Hi, how are you?”
- “Good, thanks. Christ, I can´t believe it… how long has it been since we last talked?”
- “Umm, I don´t know … about a year, I guess…”
- “Right, exactly! We met at London-Heathrow, I was coming back from that Norwegian research mission, and you were just leaving for the continent..”
- “Oh yes, that was… curious, really. A curious meeting on a dreadful Airport.”
- “Haha, yeah. I remember very well… you had just split up with that fellow you had been so much in love with… and I told you that from my point of view, he was a coward and that you deserved better… what was his name again??
- "Aww no, Eric, please don´t....."
- "Anyway… you were pretty sad at that time, beautifully sad if I may say…. I hope you got over him by now… you do have, have you??”
- "Hmmmm. Listen, Eric. I need your help.”
- “Anytime, baby. What can I do for you? Another emotional rescue needed, or..???”
- “What do you know about *Polarization*?"
- “Polarization”? You mean, as in “plane polarization”?
- "I don´t know, you tell me, you´re the scientist! But yeah, I guess… You know, last Friday when I drove back from work in my car, I heard on the radio that birds use polarization for their orientation… I thought that this is a very interesting phenomenom… and a good thread for a write. So I´d like to know more about it. I remembered that you have been doing some research on that stuff last year.. so, what can you tell me about it?”
- “Well, okay. You asked for it. So let´s start with some basics:
“Polarization: The simplest manifestation of polarization to visualize is that of a plane wave, which is a good approximation to most light waves (a plane wave is a wave with infinitely long and wide wavefronts). All electromagnetic waves propagating in free space or in a uniform material of infinite extent have electric and magnetic perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Conventionally, when considering polarization, the electric field vector described and the magnetic field is ignored since it is perpendicular to the electric field and proportional to it. The electric field vector may be arbitrarily divided into two perpendicular components labelled x and y (with z indicating the direction of travel). For a simple harmonic wave, where the amplitude of the electric vector varies in a sinusoidal manner, the two components have exactly the same frequency. However, these components have two other defining characteristics that can differ. First, the two components may not have the same amplitude. Second, the two components may not have the same phase, that is they may not reach their maxima and minima at the same time. The shape traced out in a fixed plane by the electric vector as such a plane wave passes over it (a Lissajous figure)... Can you follow, Alice?"
- “Sure, go on. I particularly fancy the part about the frequency and the presence or lack of synchronicity of amplitudes and phases… but please, continue.”
- "Okay. In nature, electromagnetic radiation is often produced by a large number of individual radiators, producing waves independently of each other. This type of light is described as incoherent. In general there is no single frequency but rather a spectrum of different frequencies present, and even if filtered to an arbitrarily narrow frequency range, there may not be a consistent state of polarization. However, this does not mean that polarization is only a feature of coherent radiation. Incoherent radiation may show statistical correlation between the components of the electric field, which can be interpreted as partial polarization. In general it is possible to describe an observed wave field as the sum of a completely incoherent part (no correlations) and a completely polarized part. One may then describe the light in terms of the degree of polarization, and the parameters of the polarization ellipse…”
- “…Incoherent radiation may show statistical correlation between the components of the electric field – partial polarization... Wow! This is complex and still so absolutely plausible. So in fact, there is a wide range of possible external circumstances for polarization to take place, but nevertheless the phenomenom is real and ever existing and revolving!”
- “Haha, yeah... kind of, if you wanna put it that way. But you particularily wanted to know about polarization in nature, didn´t you.”
- “That’s right. I want to know what it does to birds and bees and so on, what effects it has in everyday life.. but I also like it when you digress, Eric...”
- “Okay, Alice. Please listen and don´t interrupt me umteen times!
Polarization in nature, science, and technology: Light reflected by shiny transparent materials is partly or fully polarized, except when the light is normal to the surface. A polarizing filter, such as a pair of polarizing sunglasses, can be used to observe this by rotating the filter while looking through. At certain angles, the reflected light will be reduced or eliminated. Polarizing filters remove light polarized at 90° to the filter's polarization axis. If two polarizers are placed atop one another at 90° angles to one another, no light passes through..."
- "...no light passes through."
- "Exactly. And then, there´s polarization by scattering. It is observed as light passes through the atmosphere. The scattered light produces the brightness and color in clear skies. This partial polarization of scattered light can be used to darken the sky in photographs, increasing the contrast. This effect is easiest to observe at sunset, on the horizon at a 90° angle from the setting sun. Another easily observed effect is the drastic reduction in brightness of images of the sky and clouds reflected from horizontal surfaces, which is the main reason why polarizing filters are often used in sunglasses. Also frequently visible through polarizing sunglasses are rainbow-like patterns caused by color-dependent birefringent effects, for example in toughened glass (e.g. car windows) or items made from transparent plastics. The role played by polarization in the operation of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) is also frequently apparent to the wearer of polarizing sunglasses, which may reduce the contrast or even make the display unreadable…”
- “Oh Eric, do you think that people who wear these incredibly expensive, ugly sun-glasses are even aware of what´s happening to them when they look through those glasses? Maybe that´s a major but yet unconscious reason why so many people wear sunglasses, even when there´s no sunlight around…
But how about animals? They can perceive polarization of light without any aid, right?”
- "Don´t run out of patience, Alice! I can see you haven´t changed a bit. Concentrate!! And as I said: don´t interrupt me, please?!”
- “Aye, aye, Sir! »
- “OK, I´ll tell you in a second... listen to me... Many animals are apparently capable of perceiving the polarization of light, which is generally used for navigational purposes, since the linear polarization of sky light is always perpendicular to the direction of the sun. This ability is very common among the insects, including bees, which use this information to orient their communicative dances..."
- "Dance, little bee,
please dance for me..."
-" ...Polarization sensitivity has also been observed in species of octopus, squid, cuttlefish, and mantis shrimp. The rapidly changing, vividly colored skin patterns of cuttlefish, used for communication, also incorporate polarization patterns, and mantis shrimp are known to have polarization selective reflective tissue. Sky polarization can also be perceived by some vertebrates, including pigeons, for which the ability is but one of many aids to homing…”
- “An aid to homing…!!! Aw, this is stunning, really. But Eric… what about humans? I mean… do you think that humans are somehow influenced or guided by Polarization??"
- “Well, as far as we know, generally they are not. Some of us may be, though. The naked human eye is weakly sensitive to polarization, without the need for intervening filters. Polarized light creates a very faint pattern near the center of the visual field, called "Haidinger´s brush". This pattern is very difficult to see, but with practice one can learn to detect polarized light with the naked eye.”
- “Oh. I see. It needs continuous practice and perseverance. Things that most people never get ´round to.”
- “Right, you got it! Well, do you need to know more, or is it enough for a start.”
- “It is enough for today. Thank you so much! I have to digest and think about all this. I might also gather some further information on this on my own and ding you again for explanation in case I don´t manage to cope with it.”
- “You´re always welcome, Alice. I´m glad if I was helpful. But tell me… will you let me know about your write when you´ve finished it?"
- “Of course! You´ll be the first to read it, Eric.”
- “That´s almost all I wanted to hear, honey. Tho... Alice?"
-"Hmm?"
- "You still love that bastard, don´t you?"
(to be continued...)
Special thanks to: Wikipedia, the one in a million!
August 11, 2006
August 02, 2006
Pleased To Meet You, Mr Freud!
Ok, here are some typical "morning pages"... and they go like this:
I dreamt that I stepped out on the balcony of our flat at the break of dawn to catch a glimpse of the dampness of late summer. My little son Dave was at my side, the man I share my everyday life with was still asleep in our marriage-bed.
Instead of the usual balcony setting, I saw a huge aquarium with various fish of all sizes standing on the left side of the balcony, and a big brown bear on the right. A bear? Yes, a bear! Not one of those John Irving bears, though (and no: I hadn´t read any Irving novel at eve!). It was a dishevelled, messy and alarmingly meagre bear obviously looking for food. At first I wondered why I hadn´t taken any notice of those fish and that bear before, and how both species had survived without getting fed by us. Apparently, the bear hadn´t lived on the fish.Both - fish and bear - looked very ancient, as if they had been out there for donkey´s years. But whereas the fish looked well nurtured and contented, the bear seemed to be disoriented, ahungered and about to go - but not for the fishes...
Instinctively, I pulled my little son to myself and tried to close the heavy glassy French window that had been open all night, but it was already too late... The animal saw us, turned in our direction and started to jump on us. Appalled, I grabbed my son and rushed towards the entrance door, thinking that if I managed to get out before the bear and to double-lock the flat door firmly from outside, Dave would be safe. I felt that it was possible that we might never be able to come back, but there seemed to be no other way.
But what about my husband still sleeping in the bedroom, innocent and oblivious to the imminent danger? Should I warn him, or should I rather push our luck and keep quiet in order not to draw the bear´s attention to this easy prey that it hadn´t detected so far, albeit the open balcony window in the past? How could he flee or fight the bear if it discovered him, with a double-locked entry door?
There was no time for further consideration as the terrifying animal came nearer. So I decided to warn my man and yelled: "Beware!! There´s a greedy angry bear in our flat, chivvying us around! I´m trying to get Dave out, and then I´ll instantly call the police and the fire brigade so they will get you out as well! Run and try to go up to the maisonnette, the stairs are too tiny for the bear to follow you up there, if you manage you´ll be safe!!!" And then, not knowing whether he had heard me at all, Dave and I had a narrow escape through the entrance door, which I locked firmly. Running down the stairs, we could hear the bear howling and bashing furiously against the door, but it didn´t break.
As soon as we had left the stairway and stepped outside, I alternately tried to call the police and the fire brigade on my mobile, which I had by chance taken along. (OK, I admit this sounds absurd, but remember that we´re in a dream and that this is the year 2006!) But oh! None of those urgency numbers worked! I tried again and again, becoming more and more hectic and desperate... nowt! In horror and with images of the bear and my husband struggling in my mind´s eye, I changed my strategy and tried to call any of my close friends for help, but it didn´t work either. Some of them wouldn´t believe my story, others were simply non-accessible.
Instead, something very weird happened: Out of the blue, I got one, then another, then a third texto from my far-away lover who had been absent for ages! "What?" I wondered, momentarily getting distracted from the main plot. In a short flare-up of hope, I thought that maybe he could be a help to me. I quickly checked my lover´s messages, but it was one of life´s many ironies that they were all self-centred or lacking in content. Meaningless word formations, none of them offering any alternative or help to me. Then I got a fourth texto. It was from my husband, saying: "Where are you? I am with the bear."
Exhausted and enraged in the face of adversities and confusion, I threw my mobile away, ordered my child to wait for me in the garden and climbed up the stairs to the flat again to come to my husband´s assistence, or to go for whatever may happen...
That was the very moment when I awoke from this nightmare, all trembling and drowned in tears. I looked over to my man, sleeping quietly and peacefully. A wave of relief pervaded me. Following a strong stirring of emotion, I clasped him in my arms, attempting to wake him up and tell him about my strange dream. But my husband said: "Dave, you go back to bed immediately, this is the middle of the night and we want to sleep!"
BOOM!
I dreamt that I stepped out on the balcony of our flat at the break of dawn to catch a glimpse of the dampness of late summer. My little son Dave was at my side, the man I share my everyday life with was still asleep in our marriage-bed.
Instead of the usual balcony setting, I saw a huge aquarium with various fish of all sizes standing on the left side of the balcony, and a big brown bear on the right. A bear? Yes, a bear! Not one of those John Irving bears, though (and no: I hadn´t read any Irving novel at eve!). It was a dishevelled, messy and alarmingly meagre bear obviously looking for food. At first I wondered why I hadn´t taken any notice of those fish and that bear before, and how both species had survived without getting fed by us. Apparently, the bear hadn´t lived on the fish.Both - fish and bear - looked very ancient, as if they had been out there for donkey´s years. But whereas the fish looked well nurtured and contented, the bear seemed to be disoriented, ahungered and about to go - but not for the fishes...
Instinctively, I pulled my little son to myself and tried to close the heavy glassy French window that had been open all night, but it was already too late... The animal saw us, turned in our direction and started to jump on us. Appalled, I grabbed my son and rushed towards the entrance door, thinking that if I managed to get out before the bear and to double-lock the flat door firmly from outside, Dave would be safe. I felt that it was possible that we might never be able to come back, but there seemed to be no other way.
But what about my husband still sleeping in the bedroom, innocent and oblivious to the imminent danger? Should I warn him, or should I rather push our luck and keep quiet in order not to draw the bear´s attention to this easy prey that it hadn´t detected so far, albeit the open balcony window in the past? How could he flee or fight the bear if it discovered him, with a double-locked entry door?
There was no time for further consideration as the terrifying animal came nearer. So I decided to warn my man and yelled: "Beware!! There´s a greedy angry bear in our flat, chivvying us around! I´m trying to get Dave out, and then I´ll instantly call the police and the fire brigade so they will get you out as well! Run and try to go up to the maisonnette, the stairs are too tiny for the bear to follow you up there, if you manage you´ll be safe!!!" And then, not knowing whether he had heard me at all, Dave and I had a narrow escape through the entrance door, which I locked firmly. Running down the stairs, we could hear the bear howling and bashing furiously against the door, but it didn´t break.
As soon as we had left the stairway and stepped outside, I alternately tried to call the police and the fire brigade on my mobile, which I had by chance taken along. (OK, I admit this sounds absurd, but remember that we´re in a dream and that this is the year 2006!) But oh! None of those urgency numbers worked! I tried again and again, becoming more and more hectic and desperate... nowt! In horror and with images of the bear and my husband struggling in my mind´s eye, I changed my strategy and tried to call any of my close friends for help, but it didn´t work either. Some of them wouldn´t believe my story, others were simply non-accessible.
Instead, something very weird happened: Out of the blue, I got one, then another, then a third texto from my far-away lover who had been absent for ages! "What?" I wondered, momentarily getting distracted from the main plot. In a short flare-up of hope, I thought that maybe he could be a help to me. I quickly checked my lover´s messages, but it was one of life´s many ironies that they were all self-centred or lacking in content. Meaningless word formations, none of them offering any alternative or help to me. Then I got a fourth texto. It was from my husband, saying: "Where are you? I am with the bear."
Exhausted and enraged in the face of adversities and confusion, I threw my mobile away, ordered my child to wait for me in the garden and climbed up the stairs to the flat again to come to my husband´s assistence, or to go for whatever may happen...
That was the very moment when I awoke from this nightmare, all trembling and drowned in tears. I looked over to my man, sleeping quietly and peacefully. A wave of relief pervaded me. Following a strong stirring of emotion, I clasped him in my arms, attempting to wake him up and tell him about my strange dream. But my husband said: "Dave, you go back to bed immediately, this is the middle of the night and we want to sleep!"
BOOM!
July 31, 2006
Leaving The Fifth Floor
While crossing the bridge I look up to the sky
A swarm of black starlings just flutters near by
Ascends to the building where we did not sleep
And the brigde starts to float right under my feet.
Reflections of light and of heat flow my way
Your contours define against structures that sway.
Vertigo is tangling me all up in blue
Five floors are too grave to fall down on you!
Why don´t I turn back and obey to my heart
That screams like a child we should not be apart?
Why do I ignore the strong pulse beat of faith
That fiercely breaks through white November haze?
Another step backwards and you´ll disappear
Behind cubical monuments witnessing fear.
My legs take a flight for I try to escape
The terrible brightness of love and fate.
How did you survive when the avalanche came?
Did you run for cover by calling my name?
I think that I heard you, once deep in the night
So I plucked up my courage and did what felt right.
Them Younger Selves
Imagine a castle on top of a hill
Inside there two lovers in a junction of will.
Their minds soar up high as they loll ´round the sill
Chatting and flirting, enjoying the chill.
Fine snow is absorbing the starlight of night
But lovers are laughing and shining so bright.
A fleeting glimpse on what´s true and what´s right
In the lap of luxury flourishes light.
No angst is around and the world seems so kind,
They cherish keen feelings and hopes on their minds.
And while visions of common fortune unwind
It’s them younger selves that they suddenly find.
****************************
July 30, 2006
"Villages" by John Updike
I just finished John Updike´s novel "Villages".
Someone gave that book to me a few months ago, telling me I should read it so I would be much wiser afterwards. At first I didn´t feel like reading it, then I left the book lying about on my bedside table for another three weeks, but finally attacked it and read it rather quickly. The first John Updike I ever read, by the way.
Now I´m quite perplexed, wondering: Is it a good or a bad book?
The language is brilliant, dissecting. Words just fall into place. Waves of descriptive images and little scenes pass by like perfect fluffy clouds in the sky. And Owen is so egomanically absorbed by his sexual longings that I just can´t but like him. But the plot...??
Why does the hero aka Owen Mackenzie leave his wife and his four pubescent children in the end to be with his second wife Julia? Why does his first wife Phyllis have to die in a pseudo-fateful car accident after a last attempt of holding him back? Why does a sex-maniac like Owen (or is he just like every man out there?) more or less lose his sexual appetite and lust after he finally gets and marries the right woman (or: what is Julia to him, in fact?)? Is Updike trying to get a moral message across (um, probably not...)? Or did he just run out of ideas while trying to put an end to a story that has a very strong start, a partly interesting centrepiece but a motley, loose déjà-vu ending???
And finally: How comes that a book that is mainly about a selfish, inventive computer-nerd screwing as much neighbourhood women as possible in most diverse ways and positions all through his married life until he finally divorces and surrenders to monogamy leaves me so completely unaffected? I mean, selfish, inventive computer-freaks usually do stimulate my imagination in some ways, plus drastic and detailed descriptions of how a man and a woman *play around with each other* do quite easily arouse my senses, and this book is packed with that stuff but... it just doesn´t really work on me...
One exception, though: The scene in Chapter IV - Young Owen tries to please nice little Elsie in the car (he´s completely dressed, kissing and licking her naked body in abandon and wonder) - is fairly horny (in my opinion, much more than the ever-more plastic and explicit sex exercises of his grown-up years). Urged me to make love immediately after I read it... Or was that simply due to the fact that I read it during a hot and cosy Sunday siesta?
Someone gave that book to me a few months ago, telling me I should read it so I would be much wiser afterwards. At first I didn´t feel like reading it, then I left the book lying about on my bedside table for another three weeks, but finally attacked it and read it rather quickly. The first John Updike I ever read, by the way.
Now I´m quite perplexed, wondering: Is it a good or a bad book?
The language is brilliant, dissecting. Words just fall into place. Waves of descriptive images and little scenes pass by like perfect fluffy clouds in the sky. And Owen is so egomanically absorbed by his sexual longings that I just can´t but like him. But the plot...??
Why does the hero aka Owen Mackenzie leave his wife and his four pubescent children in the end to be with his second wife Julia? Why does his first wife Phyllis have to die in a pseudo-fateful car accident after a last attempt of holding him back? Why does a sex-maniac like Owen (or is he just like every man out there?) more or less lose his sexual appetite and lust after he finally gets and marries the right woman (or: what is Julia to him, in fact?)? Is Updike trying to get a moral message across (um, probably not...)? Or did he just run out of ideas while trying to put an end to a story that has a very strong start, a partly interesting centrepiece but a motley, loose déjà-vu ending???
And finally: How comes that a book that is mainly about a selfish, inventive computer-nerd screwing as much neighbourhood women as possible in most diverse ways and positions all through his married life until he finally divorces and surrenders to monogamy leaves me so completely unaffected? I mean, selfish, inventive computer-freaks usually do stimulate my imagination in some ways, plus drastic and detailed descriptions of how a man and a woman *play around with each other* do quite easily arouse my senses, and this book is packed with that stuff but... it just doesn´t really work on me...
One exception, though: The scene in Chapter IV - Young Owen tries to please nice little Elsie in the car (he´s completely dressed, kissing and licking her naked body in abandon and wonder) - is fairly horny (in my opinion, much more than the ever-more plastic and explicit sex exercises of his grown-up years). Urged me to make love immediately after I read it... Or was that simply due to the fact that I read it during a hot and cosy Sunday siesta?
Well, well, anyway... It´s late now, and too hot again.
Maybe there´s anybody out there who has also read the book and likes to reply?
July 27, 2006
Falling Apart
I like the idea of falling apart
So I glance at your face and try to find out.
You´re looking bewildered, adventurous at heart
How long will it take us before we get loud?
We go to the venue, men staring at me
I cling to your eyes, they are holding me tight.
Your voice is embracing my needs to be free
The scent of my centre is flowing tonight.
Much later we struggle in joy and in fear
Two violet feathers you brought along.
Surrender will come, it is already near
Our heart knots untie and we know we are strong.
*********************************
Photo: Feather Drop 2 by bonsaikiptb
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bonsaikiptb/49488910/
July 25, 2006
Green Laces Of Leather
* updated version *
Who´s spinning the wheel with green laces of leather
Entangling my mind all-around?
What draws me into this dangerous weather
Ties me up with these terrible bonds?
Will I ever be able to find an approach
To detangle the twisted dots
Which have tied up my heart, suffocated and torched
Will I ever break out of the knots?
Green laces of leather are hard to untie
Their spell is compelling desire.
Green laces of leather do never go by
Their strength is commanding the fire.
Who´s spinning the wheel with green laces of leather
Entangling my mind all-around?
What draws me into this dangerous weather
Ties me up with these terrible bonds?
Will I ever be able to find an approach
To detangle the twisted dots
Which have tied up my heart, suffocated and torched
Will I ever break out of the knots?
Green laces of leather are hard to untie
Green laces of leather do never go by
Their strength is commanding the fire.
Faversham Creek
Alongside windy narrow trails unfolds a litte creek
a woodshed and a weathered cottage, sailing boats asleep.
Your twinkling eyes encourage me to stroke your boyhound grounds
And I look back at you in smiles, my heart, it takes a leap.
The harbour lies in April sun, all ships have different faces
Some marked by sorrow, some by joy, some others by harsh races.
Old cutter´s stuck down in the mud, we try to wake it up
I talk to you so tenderly and hope to leave some traces.
We stroll down to the shoreline then, serenity is ours
Talking in silence is our gift plunged into golden hours.
It´s obvious and it´s dangerous, but we don´t hesitate
And as for me I know my love exceeds all water powers.
We know reversal will approach, we know the breeze will spring
And bring us numb and rainy days and amputate our wings,
We feel it coming from afar not knowing yet how near,
Still we enhance and please ourselves with dreams of Queens and Kings.
Oh Lover, how can I withstand the memories of this day
When you said to me solemnly you´d never slip away?
Although you stumbled in the storm, you´ll always be close-by
Despite my wound ripped up afresh one hazy day in May.
*************************
Photo by P8050422Source: http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&q=oare+creek&m=text
By The River
Walking by the river
Memories cross my mind
Of how I used to listen and shiver at his side.
Talking of his visions
Sharing them with me
Making some decisions – how proud I used to be!
Never thought I´d loose him
Never thought he´d run
Away from me so fiercely and leave me in the dawn.
**********************
Photo by Hans van Reenen
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/heimatiater/
July 24, 2006
Shark Island
The Island of Shark is a dangerous place
But we entered the gate from the west.
We sat down to talk, to be quiet or to dance
But one touch of our hands got us caught in the race.
Big ships passed us by, lethargic and slow,
Triggering bow waves so high.
While we gradually thought about swaying our lives
The patter of rain intervened in the flow.
Those lines on your face they rewound all my past
When I was naive and carefree,
Yet I haughtily opened my heart on that day
And allowed us to rise to the challenge at last.
And then we decided to cross all the bridge
With a sparkle so strong that it hurt.
What was it I gave then but never got back
When we dared to climb up to the ridge?
Yes, the Island of Shark is a dangerous place
But it´s one that I had to traverse.
I´ve lost all my hopes and fears all at once
In those terrible days of grace.
But we entered the gate from the west.
We sat down to talk, to be quiet or to dance
But one touch of our hands got us caught in the race.
Big ships passed us by, lethargic and slow,
Triggering bow waves so high.
While we gradually thought about swaying our lives
The patter of rain intervened in the flow.
Those lines on your face they rewound all my past
When I was naive and carefree,
Yet I haughtily opened my heart on that day
And allowed us to rise to the challenge at last.
And then we decided to cross all the bridge
With a sparkle so strong that it hurt.
What was it I gave then but never got back
When we dared to climb up to the ridge?
Yes, the Island of Shark is a dangerous place
But it´s one that I had to traverse.
I´ve lost all my hopes and fears all at once
In those terrible days of grace.
The Art of Stating The Obvious
Stating the obvious, some difficult art,
It is only reserved to the cat-eyed smart.
Now you think you can´t take it, you think you will weep,
`Cause you don´t find the force to wake from your sleep.
It can be about love, it can be about hate,
Nevermind though, it´s not an eternal state.
Keep jaguars from running, let penguins fly high,
But then lift up your eyes from the ground to the sky.
It is only reserved to the cat-eyed smart.
Now you think you can´t take it, you think you will weep,
`Cause you don´t find the force to wake from your sleep.
It can be about love, it can be about hate,
Nevermind though, it´s not an eternal state.
Keep jaguars from running, let penguins fly high,
But then lift up your eyes from the ground to the sky.
Wonderland Dame
I love wonderland tales
They are working for me
When I choose to believe them
They make me feel free.
I love wonderland games
They are lifting me up
When I choose to persist
I can go to the top.
I love wonderland ways
They are making me high
When I choose to join in
They allow me to fly.
I´m a wonderland dame
Don´t you say it ain´t true
And the first thing I´ll do is:
I´ll prove it to you!
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