Well, here I am back in Blighty. As I stepped red eyed and head-ached from the car my first impression was of fallen leaves. Initially I thought of back aching raking and sweeping. Then I thought of a proper strong cup of tea and gazed from the kitchen window onto the sog and bog of damp drizzling drab which is the Sunday morning after a night on the English Channel. The pint mug of tea pulsed out into my blood and flooded me with proper thoughts of love and romance. I found myself singing in French the song "Les Feuilles Mortes". Look- I can be a pretentious stupid cow can't I? Actually I only know one verse that goes:
"Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
Tout doucement, sans faire de bruit.
Et la mer efface sur le sable
Les pas des amants desunis."
A quick translation : Life separates those who love each other/softly without sound/And the sea erases from the sand/the footprints of parted lovers.(This is deliberately not a poetic translation.The French language IS Poetry simply in itself).
In the famous Nat King Cole version in English, this is not translated. If you want to feel the emotion of this season enhanced by music there are so many versions. I have chosen one here by Andrea Bocelli. For me the visuals are a bit busy, but have a glass (or two) of red wine, turn to whoever you love and remember that life is brief and that words of love are our Spring and they they will grow until one day their fruit passes inexorably into memory.
Now - let's talk about condoms. A while ago when I first wrote "Knockout" I pushed it out for some pre publication reviews. Generally things were OK but one reviewer savaged me for allowing the lovers to have sex without condoms. Well, actually I did not allow it because having created these impulsive passionate beings the minute I took my eyes off them they were at it without even referring back to me. She attacked my irresponsible attitude to venereal disease and the kind of example I was setting to readers who might try this kinda thing at home. I know that from a public health point of view she was quite right but I just wanted naked passion between impossibly larger than life people in a wish list world. Now, fellow scribes - tell me what you think. PLEASE. I don't want to go down in history as the woman who poxed up the populous and chlamydia-ed Christendom.
And then there's the subject of the tea served at breakfast on Brittany Ferries. I crossed last night from France and took the buffet breakfast in the restaurant aboard the vessel "Mont St.Michel". As always the staff were flawless and kind. However, Gilles and I took tea and received one pot of hot water and a tea bag each. I believe the tea was Twinings. For me it was a bit pale but it was OK. There was just not enough of it. You can just about get one cup. The breakfast buffet is generous with ham, salmon, eggs, cereals etc etc etc. It is brilliant quality and value. If you order tea and coffee you get a whole pot each! We Brits need more to prepare us for life back in the UK. Dear Managing Director.........
Tired and deprived of tea I turned on my lap top to write this blog and saw that a wonderful person had given me a lovely review. on Goodreads.
Emma thinx: Isaac Newton was primarily an alchemist. You can only get it right by being mainly wrong.
I used to visit Blighty when I lived in Chichester. Like your description of it. I remember it being so busy and full of 'cool' people. I love your poetry, you must have been writing it for years. Exquisite!
ReplyDeleteThat verse is wonderful, glad I could apprciate it in French. It is the most beautiful language in the world.
I wouldn't worry about writing condoms into your sex scenes. You can't be expected to put in every little detail, after all. Just convince yourself that he found a moment to sort that out.
ReplyDeleteThanks for following my blog, btw.