A Conversation with John McGahern

John Mc Gahern (12 November 1834 – 30 March 2006)

Beers & Books CLXIII – John McGahern

The best of life is life lived quietly,
where nothing happens
but our calm journey through the day,
where change is imperceptible
and the precious life is everything.

 John McGahern (12 November 1934 – 30 March 2006)

Beers & Books CLXII – Rodin

 

He who is discouraged after a failure
is not a real artist.

Auguste Rodin (12 November 1840 – 17 November 1917)

Beers & Books CLXI– Luigi Malerba

Scrivo per sapere che cosa penso.

Luigi Malerba (11 November 1927 – 8 May 2008)

Beers & Books CLX – Ivan Turgenev

In the end, nature is inexorable:
it has no reason to hurry and, sooner or later,
it takes what belongs to it.
Unconsciously and inflexibly obedient to its own laws,
it doesn't know art,
just as it doesn't know freedom,
just as it doesn't know goodness.

Ivan Turgenev (9 November 1818 – 3 September 1883)

Monochrome Monday

Reflections

 

Beers & Books CXLIX – Antonio Skármeta

Poetry belongs to those who use it,
not those who write it!

Antonio Skármeta * 7 November 1940

Beers & Books CXLVIII – Albert Camus

Life is meaningless,
but worth living,
provided you recognize it's meaningless.

Albert Camus (7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960)

Beers & Books CXLVII – Robert Musil

... there is a particular propensity
in the world for people,
wherever they appear in great numbers,
to permit themselves collectively everything
that would be forbidden them individually.

Robert Musil (6 November 1880 – 15 April 1942)

The Man Without Qualities

Friday is Skyday

Remember, remember ...

 

Laughing Lhursday*

Rocket drive,
computer,
indicator flowers.

Prognosis:
As soon as all police cars will look like this prototype
there will be no crime on this planet.

* [For first time visitors]: Typo in the title? Nah. It's just that
I would not let a tiny T spoil an avantgardistic alliteration.

In the Fog*

Strange, to wander in the fog!
Alone each bush and stone,
No tree does see the other,
Each is alone.

[...]

Strange, to wander in the fog!
Life is loneliness.
No man knows the other,
Each is alone.

 Hermann Hesse, November 1905

* For a change, but the first and fourth stanza, translated by me.

Heron

On top of the mighty fir
Standing sentinel
over Seanhenge