The Marvelous Mundane

Taking a break from reading Chaucer, and from investigating the sources for The Nun’s Priest’s Tale (notably, of course, the story of Reynard and Chaunticleer), as well as briefly dipping into George Lyman Kittredge’s analysis of how Chaucer tells his tales, I found myself reading two completely unrelated poems: “Sea Fever” by John Masefield, and …

Those Sirens Aren’t Mermaids, Just Voices in Your Head

More from the Book of Duh: Again from the BBC, citing the US National Ocean Service: There are no such things as mermaids. Or, as the report more scientifically stated: “No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found.” The wonders of scientific progress continue. Sailors can breathe more easily. Next up: Zombies and Vampires.

Pot Plants, Stunt Growth

From the big Book of Duh: BBC reports on a scientific study presented at the Society for Experimental Biology during their meeting in Salzburg, Austria that a researcher with the unlikely name of Hendrik Poorter has used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to discover the following startling truth: Plants in bigger pots grow bigger than plants …

My Confession

Thinking of the Ligurian Sea Where the romantics go to drown, Somber as the Tuscan sun sets Speaking the ineffable noun My heart a hopeless wanderer Fleeing pregnant ghosts Seeking in parti-colored silks To evade accusing hosts. The fear a promise unrealized, The events trivial and benign, Oppressed beneath the clearest skies, The punishment condign. …