By Kathleen Raine
I saw the sun step like a gentleman
Dressed in black and proud as sin.
I saw the sun walk across London
Like a young M. P., risen to the occasion.
His step was light, his tread was dancing,
His lips were smiling, his eyes glancing.
Over the Cenotaph in Whitehall
The sun took the wicket with my skull.
The sun plays tennis in the court of Geneva
With the guts of a Finn and the head of an Emperor.
The sun plays squash in a tomb of marble,
The horses of Apocalypse are in his stable.
The sun plays a game of darts in Spain
Three by three in flight formation.
The invincible wheels of his yellow car
Are the discs that kindle the Chinese war.
The sun shows the world to the world,
Turns its own ghost on the terrified crowd,
Then plunges all images into the ocean
Of the nightly mass emotion.
Games of chance and games of skill,
All his sports are games to kill.
I saw the murderer at evening lie
Bleeding on his death-bed sky.
His hyacinth breath, his laurel hair,
His blinding sight, his moving air,
My love, my grief, my weariness, my fears
Hid from me in a night of tears.
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I had a pretty quiet but very nice birthday -- except for a brief trip to CVS for necessities like shampoo and a new toothbrush for son, I stayed home, which was much warmer than outside. Paul had offered to take me out for Indian buffet, which is technically illegal on my low-salt diet but I figured I could get away with one meal off, but then Adam got huffy that we were going to have Indian food without him, so we agreed to take the kids to the buffet in two weeks when they're off school for winter break, and Paul came home and made me salmon cakes with Gruyere for lunch instead.
In the afternoon I finished my review of "The Inner Light", then we went to my parents' for dinner and the first night of Chanukah. My mother made me fresh fish since everyone else was having brisket, and I had one latke with applesauce, Paul made me a chocolate torte with pistachio mousse, but the mousse liquefied and it looked a bit like a cake wreck, though it tasted absolutely delicious! My parents got me some jewelry and money toward a new computer. As for the rest...
Me and Paul while the cake was still semi-intact...
...and after it was cut, when it became a full-fledged cake wreck.
Adam really wanted a Snuggie. His comment on Facebook: "For the Jewish celebration of military triumph and lights, I was awarded a most manly gift... A LEAPORDPRINT SNUGGIE." The cats approved as well, as they took turns sleeping on it.
Daniel got two Simpsons DVD sets. Here he is lighting a menorah he made at a JCC Chanukah event many, many years ago.
Mamadracula sent me this Celtic mandala coloring kit and Tree of Life necklace!
And Gblvr got me Klimt's Tree of Life on a necklace!
And Dementordelta got me this year's France Barbie and a penguin with things that smell good! Obviously my friends know me!
My mother got me Brighton's Washington, DC charm bracelet by request as an early birthday present!
We watched Sanctuary, which I liked -- I was glad they did a Kate episode -- but I was distracted so I can't comment much on the details, except that I am still all about Helen/Will at the moment. Thanks so much to everyone who sent me greetings -- sorry if I missed leaving you a comment, I am behind on reading LiveJournal so I could crop those photos!
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