Fiona Sampson, David Harsent reading


Fiona Sampson

I feel intimidated by my competition.
(tawdry street theatre.)

You have to play a violin in.

Those loosening thighs
could just as easily have been
a father's eyes.

David Harsent

He wears black to accent his grey hair.

Jean de Buffet spilled the outline.

'She kicked off her shoes' (opening of poem).


Peter Reading - 273.15 degrees (Absolute Zero)


The great conveyor

extirpate

capstan

Jeffrey the ship's cat can't comprehend the complexity of the situation.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The future predicts itself, animals gone.


The Seasons


Romulus (753-715BC) devised 10 calendar month.
Numa, his successor, added January and February.

January

ianua - door
Janus, the two-headed God.
Perhaps the dead days of winter were not at first counted.

Last fortnight of winter, 1st of Spring.

Scots Gaelic - faoil teach
faol = 'wild' or 'wolf' (in compounds)

am mios Marbh 'the dead month'

February


februa - 'means of cleansing' because of rituals.
Last month of year, short.
Cut short each year for addition of embolism.
Even number of days (odd = more auspicious):
Virgil - numero deus impare gaudete (God rejoices in the odd number.)

Hornung (German) 'The bastard begotten in the corner" (stunted according to folk wisdom.)

Scot's Gaelic The gelding.
y mis bach (Welsh) 'the little month.'
Irish Mi na feile Bride the month of Bridget's feast.

Feburier le court, est le pire de tout - worst weather month.

Yet rain and snow fill reservoirs and ensure good crops.

All the months in the year curse a fair Februeer.

A Welshman would rather see his dam on her bier than a fair Februeer.

March


Mars - God of war (campaigning season began in Spring.)
Agricultural deity.
Old English 'Hlyda' loud (winds)

Eat leekes in Lide, and Ramsins in May,
And all the year after Physicians may play.
Proverbial rhyme
April


Aperire - to open.
Aphrodite.
More likely - other as 2nd month of year.

May


maiores (old) and juniores (young.)
Maia - Goddess of growth.

June


Juno, young woman ready for a man.

July


Rhymed with truly till mid-18th century.
(5) Quinctilis till 44 BC.
Changed to honour dead Julius Caesar born 12 July.

Welsh a 'Mhadhrail - canine (the dog days.)

August

(6) Sextilis till 8 BC.
Irish / Scot's Gaellic - harvest in honour of Lugh (God of Light and Genius.)

September

(7) Welsh reaping
Scott's Gaelic abundance / cheerfulness of harvest.

October

(8) Welsh lowing of cattle.
Scot's Gaelic rutting time.

November

(9) Welsh slaughter

December

(10) Scots Gaelic the darkness