Oh, Babe, What Would You Say

 Anecdotal Evidence continues on its brilliant, daily way with Patrick Kurp - I don't know how he does it- always worth a look. Today's piece illuminates Larkin's debt to Christina Rossetti and in doing so provides my next reading, with the Collected Poems and a recent biography. 1200 pages of poems sounds like plenty when I might not read more than 50 but I believe in having the lot, just in case a Selected misses something. One only needs a prompt and suddenly a whole new area crops up in front of you.

The Joke by Milan Kundera will just require one last session tomorrow, about 30 pages. As I'm sometimes thought with Julian Barnes, it seems to extend beyond how long it needs to be as if in search of a word count. I know that feeling. I didn't remember as much of the second half as I did of the first but maybe it is reaching towards a more transcendental ending and leading towards the equally libidinous metaphysical ruminations of the work that was to follow. 

But Eastern Europe in Soviet times haunts us, or at least me, still if we werearound in the 60's and 70's. Fiddling around on Medium Wave when Radio Luxembourg went out of focus there was Radio Tirana grimly delivering its propaganda; there was Alexander Solzhenitsyn on the News, the heroic Alexander Dubček in Prague and then, in the 90's it was remarkable to be able to go to Prague and Budapest for holidays, get myself pickpocketed in both places but apart from that appreciate what good people and fine countries they are or would like to be, given the chance.

 

Good news from the frontline of poetry composition was another new one on Sunday, only four weeks since the last one. Written to serve a purpose, it turned out okay and it goes into the file for those considered worthwhile for the time being. There is satisfaction to be had when it goes well and I'm pleased with the few corrections on the back of the envelope it was written on, indicating the fluency that comes from having solid ideas in place before one begins but I surely need a rest now or else I'll turn into Auden, pouring out verses at such a rate it seems to devalue them by looking like a habit he can't break.

I'll take it to the poetry club Christmas event for which it was written and be glad of it.

 

Not having had any chess news here for some time, I can report I am becalmed having apparently arrived at my rightful levels in the various disciplines which are,

2006 at Blitz, which is 5 minutes on the clock, and won't be risked for fear of losing the 2000+ status,

1910 at Rapid, which is 10 minutes, and makes me Top 12.5% of those who've ever given it a go at Lichess,

and 1823 at Classical, which is 30 minutes, and Top 18.5%.

So it's clear that 2000, 1900 and 1800 are the lines to be defended.

Sandown on Friday is shaping up to be classy and of interest with some Henderson v. Nicholls races that one will need to be wary about but I like the anticipation and the time to think about it, whatever difference that really makes. I'm looking to it immensely, not least seeing my friend, Stay Away Fay.