The Mundane Mr Eggleston

They show us the grain of the present,
like the cross-section of a tree.

Old tyres, Dr Pepper machines,
discarded air-conditioners,
vending machines, empty and dirty
Coca-Cola bottles, torn posters,
power poles and power wires,
street barricades, one-way signs,
detour signs, No Parking signs,
parking meters and palm trees
crowding the same curb.

A dog trotting toward the camera;
a Moose lodge; a woman
standing by a rural road;
a row of country mailboxes;
a convenience store; the lobby
of a Krystal fast-food restaurant –
all of these ordinary scenes.

From the Wikipedia page for William Eggleston.

One For You

This seems to be one for you:

date1 July 2009 06:11
subjectThere he sat and cried

hide details 06:11 (6 hours ago) Reply

Hello. Is there perchance!

switchings

Facebook message from a writer friend – thought she was sending me a poem for this blog until I realised it was spam.

Harry Has Uses

Harry is developing good control
of his pencil movements.
He is working on counting up and back
in steps of twos and tens.
Harry enjoys spending time on
investigative sites on the computer
and is competent on the internet.

He likes to use clay and box modelling
to interpret his ideas. Harry
has developed a good understanding
of the past, present and future.
He has been keen to spend time on
developing the role-play area
into a bakery, resulting in
him producing some very good price lists.

Harry is one of a very few children
who have mastered the ropes in gymnastics.
He is now developing his target skills.

My son’s first school report, aged 5.

Because

That’s why I hit you today,
for the first time in my life.

Because you opened the letter,
because I wanted you to…
because of mother,
because she told you something she didn’t tell me,
because I love you and you are not my daughter,
because everything could have been different,
because the past will never return…

Because of the times you caressed my back
when I cried
candy king

gingerbread page
marzipan princess.

Subtitles from episode 4 of Dekalog.

Thought and Jocularity

When I was twelve, I was interviewed by
a doctoral candidate in
education and asked what I wanted
to be when I grew up.

I said that I wanted either to be
a philosopher or a clown,
and I understood then, I think that much
depended on whether or not

I found the world worth philosophising
about, and what the price of
seriousness might be. I was not sure I
wanted to be a philosopher,

and I confess that I have never quite
overcome that doubt.

From ‘Undoing Gender’ by Judith Butler (London: Routledge 2004), p234. Submitted by Marika Rose.

Strangulation By Any Other Name

Tenir ce sac et sa poignée
hors de portée des bébés et enfants
pour éviter tout risque d’étouffement.

Plastiktüte und Gryff von Babys und Kindern
fernhalten, um Erstickungs – und
Erdrosselungsgefahr zu vermeiden.

Per evitare rischi di soffocamento
o strangolamento, tenere questa busta di plastica
fuori della portata del bambini.

För att undvika risk för kvävning
och strypning, förvara plast
och handtag utom räckhåll för barn.

Tukehtumis – taikka kuristumisriskin
välttämiseksi on muovipakkaus ja kahva
säilytettävä lasten ulottumattomissa.

To avoid danger of suffocation
and strangulation keep this plastic bag
and handle away from babies and children.

Warning on the side of a packet of Pampers nappies.

Lines Written Upon a Brassiere

One hundred way convertible bra,
the bra you can wear one hundred ways.
Wow! Infinite possibilities,
the only bra you’ll ever need.

Wear it as a plunge, two-strap, one-shoulder,
racerback, boatneck, crisscross front, halter –
and so many more! Comes with three
sets of straps: regular, clear
and a low back converter strap.

Provides added coverage for contour shaping.
Smooth, moulded, lightly lined under-wired cups,
with removable pads. One bra one hundred ways.
Customise your look with our life changing
one hundred way convertible bra.

The most versatile bra ever!
Simply insert straps into any of the
hidden eyelets for any look you want.
There’s now no excuse for showing straps!

Spotted on a BHS bra tag, June 2009. Submitted by Marika Rose.

roads? where we’re going we

roads? where we’re going, we
don’t need roads – game
over man, game over –
these go to eleven – i am serious,
and don’t call me shirley –
i feel the need, the need for
speed – say hello to my little
friend – i’ll have what she’s
having – would you like me to
seduce you? is that what
you’re trying to tell me? – get
busy livin’ or get busy dyin’ –
i’m not bad. i’m just drawn
that way – if the pirates of the
caribbean breaks down, the
pirates don’t eat the tourists
– i’ll be back – may the force
be with you – here’s johnny!

From an advert for DVD shop Fopp in the Cambridge Arts Picture House programme, May 2009.

Pack a Punch

Travel is subject
to National Rail
Conditions of Carriage
NRCoC and to the
conditions of carriage
of other operators
on whose services
this ticket is ( )

Offpeak Day Travelcard, June 2009. The parenthesis marks a word that was punched out by the ticket inspector. Submitted by Andrew.