Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. — Maya Angelou
You are the music while the music lasts. — T.S. Eliot
Feel
I eat merely to put food out of my mind. — N.F. Simpson
And I find chopsticks frankly distressing. Am I alone in thinking it odd that a people ingenious enough to invent paper, gunpowder, kites and any number of other useful objects, and who have a noble history extending back 3,000 years haven't yet worked out that a pair of knitting needles is no way to capture food? — Bill Bryson
I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead — not sick, not wounded -- dead. — Woody Allen
Listen
A true poet does not bother to be poetical. Nor does a nursery gardener scent his roses. — Jean Cocteau
To see the summer sky is poetry, though never in a book it lie - true poems flee. — Emily Dickinson
I, Me, Myself...
Writing about others is easy to do One person to observe, one piece to sew One set of questions to ask One set of words to sow Writing about oneself is harder to do Words suddenly become few All I can do is give you a clue or two; happy go not-so-lucky, Math! Ah. that's too tricky Sweeter is Music - sitar, sufi and blue Tea is my favourite brew Queen of good times that's me Pink is really my dye Give me food, wine and sigh! A pinch of tragedy fringed with romance Solitary dancing and nostalgia The list's ending, don't look so askance Poetry; Dickenson, Wilde and Alice; "Still she haunts me phantomwise Moving under the waking eyes."
With due apologies to Philip Larkin (though I suspect he would never recognize his 'Counting' anywhere in this) and of course to Carroll as well. He would recognize it anywhere.
...and my favourite bookmarks
www.aadeez.com — Atif Aslam's official website. Strictly for fans.
www.nigelslater.com — Website of warm and cuddly British chef whose cooking is perhaps good but writing's definitely great.
www.granta.com— Those who love, love. Nothing else need be said.
www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk — Website of author Alexander McCall Smith who is the only one who can constantly write about kindness, love and understanding and still make you smile. And read further.
www.philiplarkin.com — He is sarcastic, he is sullen, he is acidic and he is sharp. And I love him.
