The astronauts tell us that, in space, random cosmic particles will pass through the human body, and, if the particle passes through the eye, the astronaut perceives this as a great burst of light. It sometimes happens on Earth too, but how long can a burst of light last?
They lay naked on the rug in front of the open fire. Neither of them had known of Leonard Cohen before they met. They had discovered his music together – their ‘soundtrack’ (with Nik Kershaw – ‘Near a tree by a river there’s a hole in the ground …’ and the BBC reports of ‘Desert Storm’ – best listened to deep in a bed with too many pillows):
‘So, the great affair is over
but whoever would have guessed
it would leave us all so vacant
and so deeply unimpressed …’
One Sunday morning he visited her house. Other Sundays she had declined to kneel at Mass: other Fridays he had asserted he would wear his dragon-covered Chinese skullcap to the synagogue, but that Sunday she asked
– What would you like to do?
– I would like to go to a poultry show and admire the beautiful pheasants.
– There is a poultry show?
– Not at all sure such a thing exists.
They went for a picnic instead. Their friends preferred marijuana or the pub: they preferred picnics.
Down the end of some random country road they stopped and got out of her car and – a pheasant burst from cover into the sky, a resplendent explosion of colour.
Later they strolled down the gravel road discussing life-drawing classes and the colours of cows.
Later still: ‘The number you have called is switched off or outside the calling area.’
‘The number you have called is switched off or outside the calling area.’
‘The number you have called.’
Barnaby McBryde
They lay naked on the rug in front of the open fire. Neither of them had known of Leonard Cohen before they met. They had discovered his music together – their ‘soundtrack’ (with Nik Kershaw – ‘Near a tree by a river there’s a hole in the ground …’ and the BBC reports of ‘Desert Storm’ – best listened to deep in a bed with too many pillows):
‘So, the great affair is over
but whoever would have guessed
it would leave us all so vacant
and so deeply unimpressed …’
One Sunday morning he visited her house. Other Sundays she had declined to kneel at Mass: other Fridays he had asserted he would wear his dragon-covered Chinese skullcap to the synagogue, but that Sunday she asked
– What would you like to do?
– I would like to go to a poultry show and admire the beautiful pheasants.
– There is a poultry show?
– Not at all sure such a thing exists.
They went for a picnic instead. Their friends preferred marijuana or the pub: they preferred picnics.
Down the end of some random country road they stopped and got out of her car and – a pheasant burst from cover into the sky, a resplendent explosion of colour.
Later they strolled down the gravel road discussing life-drawing classes and the colours of cows.
Later still: ‘The number you have called is switched off or outside the calling area.’
‘The number you have called is switched off or outside the calling area.’
‘The number you have called.’
Barnaby McBryde
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