"to see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour"
Hello spring bunnies,
How are you? I had the most magical and moving experience yesterday. I have to write about it. I am truly honoured to be asked to contribute to John Higgs book launch at The British Library on May 27th. John has written such an incredible book 'William Blake V's The World' - He will be in conversation with Robin Ince about all things Blake.
I met John, Robin and Kae at the British Library and we had the extraordinary pleasure of viewing Blakes only surviving notebook. It was so well preserved, beautiful, filled with Blake's sketches and first drafts. In this photo I am reading the early drafts of the poem London.
It was such a wonderful experience. We recorded some of Blakes poetry for this event alongside my great friend the poet Kae Tempest. Even though we wore masks, I could see our eyes all smiling. Kae is the president of The Blake Society and it was so lovely to spend some time in the library with Kae and John and Robin and William Blake. What a glorious way to gently ease myself out of lockdown and out of my cocoon! Like so many I haven't been out-out for a long time and have not seen my friends and peers, so this was an extra special day for me.
After the recording was done, the light was good, the golden hour, so I took a walk and saw my city again. I felt like I was coming back from war, returning home from a great battle. I ached and I felt older walking through London yesterday. How London was vibrating with youth and life, all London, all coming out of her cocoon. Kae said of butterflies, how it is good it is hard to break out of a cocoon, it makes the butterfly build muscle so they can fly, Kae said, if there was no fight and it was easy to leave a cocoon the butterfly wings would be too weak to fly. I thought about this a lot as I walked. I thought about butterflies and cocoons and wing muscles and how we are all building up our muscles to fly again - the collective noun for butterflies is a kaleidoscope of butterflies and I really like that. I want us to be a beautiful, powerful kaleidoscope of butterflies in flight.
I explored the streets I know so well: St Pancras, Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury and Soho. By the time I got deep into Soho I felt like I was in Amsterdam or Barcelona. I saw all the tables outside the pubs and all the happiness. I saw couples kiss and take selfies. I saw old men nursing red wines and watching the girls pass by. Whilst I was in winter in my cocoon, it appears spring has truly arrived, the world is turning slowly, I could smell it and I heard laughter and a clatter and chatter of people and birds and I felt it and it was one of the most splendid of all moments for me.
Tyger Tyger, burning bright! Coming up I have a very bright time. May is looking like an almost-nearly-kinda-normal month for me, I have a lovely selection of exciting gigs and events, radio shows and podcasts and secret things and lots to keep me busy. I won't list the whole lot but here's a handful of highlights and some lovely things I am permitted to share. Please scroll down, save dates, and book now to avoid missing things, I am really enjoying reading from the book and cannot wait to see your eyes and be on stage again for real!
I'll leave you with a peek of Blakes notebook - we were told this is one of the first sketches of 'The Tyger' - And I'll also include the timeless poem 'London' by Blake.
See you all out there, in here and inbetween too,
Hope is a group project! Courage is a muscle!
Pessimism is for Lightweights!
Viva Blake!
Thank you,
sgxx
London
I wander thro' each charter'd street,
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow.
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
But most thro' midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
No comments:
Post a Comment