Chill Out Day

I almost had a long lie-in until i realised it was the free breakfast morning. So i suddenly get up and dressed and head toward the block where the free food is dished out. I Had my usual bowl of cereal, a full English breakfast (two slices of bacon,two sausages, two eggs, mushrooms and beans with two slices of toast), and a cup of coffee.

I am having a chill out day so that i can concentrate on five visits tomorrow.These being Maidstone,Tunbridge Wells, Eastbourne and Hastings.

Now i am on the net scouring for more MS work

Book 88 - Simon Armitage "Gawain And The Green Knight"

Simon Armitage "Gawain And The Green Knight" (Faber & Faber)




Armitage's translation has much more going for it than an introduction which favours my understanding of the old English text.


King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table enjoy a Christmas celebration. But, along comes a huge green knight who goads them into accepting a challenge. In order to protect King Arthur, Sir Gawain agrees to the challenge. He must make one blow with his sword against the Green Knight today, then in one year Sir Gawain must come and find the Green Knight and receive one blow from him. Well, Sir Gawain chops his head off in one blow, but the Green Knight picks up his head and laughingly gallops off. You'll have to read it to see what happens.


It zips along, with modern diction and a translation which is more poetic than literal. A few times I felt like his word choices were a bit too silly but, looking at the original text on the facing page, it always appeared (to my very inexpert eye) that his choices were well supported (the Gawain poet was not above silliness!). It's been a long time since I last read Sir Gawain, and I'd forgotten what a great poem it is – beautiful, funny, and moving. Armitage's looser translation is really marvellous!

People...

Patrick Stewart nailed it.. Grabbed from disgruntledgirl 

Sweet Dreams

Love this - one of the most magical creatures. Sweet dreams.