The random ramblings thread

[BrokenLyre]

I bought the bronze life mask from eBay about 8 years ago. It was $85 from a US company...Can't remember the name now...
Just so you know I have Keats' bronze head standing at 6 feet 1 inch from the floor in my dining room. That's because I wanted him taller than Shelley (who supposedly was 6 feet).

[Saturn]

Must be the only time Keats has towered over Shelley.

[Raphael]

Height means nothing...he was a greater poet than Shelley. And an even greater person.

[Saturn]

Was only gently ribbing Raphael, no need to be so defensive; nobody's mocking Keats here.

[Raphael]

I know- but jokes about his height he never found funny.
I have never found someone's height of any consequence on their character, attractiveness or abilities- shame people make so much of it. Sophie Dahl married Jamie Cullum, who is 5 inches "shorter" than her- good for them! Men do not need to tower over women!

[Saturn]

I can't believe it's over 7 years since I first posted on this site. Where have the years gone?

[marwood]

I know, time just seems to slip away, and the older you get the faster it seems to slip by!
Take care.
Marwood.

[Fragment]

I have developed allergies this year. Boooo. Why couldn't I have gone longer without these accurs-ed nasal issues? Besides that, its become a beautiful spring, I think I shall go out to the state park and have a picnic or take a dip in the water or write some new poetry!

[Dolores]

Hope you're all enjoying the weather! It's so warm where I am - reading my Keats anthology spread out on a quilt in the garden in the beaming sun - perfect!!

[Saturn]

Random thought: Life is all about the small victories...nobody wins the war; nobody is getting out of here alive; you need to concentrate on the little battles, the skirmishes and the scrapes you just make through. The scars will be wounds of pride in time to come. Survival is what it's all about.

[Saturn]

I'm saddened today by the announced closure of the local University bookshop; it's been open for 53 years and is the only true proper bookshop left in this town and I've been buying books there for over 13 years, many of favourite books and academic texts came from there and I don't know [sans amazon which I can't access] where I'm going to get my books from in future What with only one lone second-hand bookshop left and the expected demise of Waterstones, where, apart from online does one buy books from in future?

[Raphael]

That's sad Saturn... Sorry to hear that.
I'm lucky to have a few bookshops here- including a great second hand one where I have bought a Victorian edition of our poet's work, an original Mrs Beeton's cookery book for 10p, Beethoven LPs for 10p each amongst other things.
What's your second hand book shop like?

[Saturn]

It's quite good actually, very ramshackle in the best tradition of those places and books piled everywhere, plus the owner always is very kind and courteous and often takes a bit less money than he should from frequent customers like myself. Places like that are sadly almost extinct in these online everything days.

[Raphael]

Sounds exactly like the second hand book shop I go to here. These places are like gold dust today.

[BrokenLyre]

Well friends,
I did it.
I got to Harvard University Library this past week. I went through the typical administrative steps to see the Houghton Library. Wow! What a place.
I will be posting what I saw firsthand from their John Keats collection. Unbelievable.

I will gather my information and post it soon. It''s the 4th of July weekend here in the states and I am a bit busy. See you all in a few days.