spain – Page 31 – don't confuse the narrator

more burning issues

La inmaculada, 2012

In the orchard, you
are busy pruning
and tending a bonfire.
In the kitchen, the toaster
fails to pop; I offer up
my own burnt offering
to the Virgin.

In fact – as far as I know – Spain has no tradition of sacrificial fires to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, but most of the ‘clouds’ in the photo are really bonfire smoke, which does make me wonder.

There’s a longer poem for la Inmaculada, posted a couple of years ago, which was inspired by the painting by Tiépolo.

smoke gets in your eyes

Yesterday, when I commented that at this time of year the air is full of a mixture of mist, cloud and bonfire smoke, I forgot two other factors that fog the village skies.

First of all, many of the older houses in the area rely on log fires for heating and their chimneys are belching smoke before the sun is up.

Then there’s the smoke from cigarettes and cigars. When I moved to Spain, the smell of cigarette smoke shocked me; I’ve just found this in an article I wrote about Madrid nearly ten years ago:

[cigarette smoke] drapes itself around you like an over-friendly drunk in bars; it shares your table uninvited in restaurants

Continue reading “smoke gets in your eyes”

smoke screens

At this time of year, all round the valley, everyone is busy pruning trees and vines and making the most of the dry weather for bonfires. The clouds, mist and smoke all blend and it’s impossible to tell which it is hanging in the still air.

Bonfire after pruning;
at nightfall, the green wood
is still singing

Después de la poda, una hoguera;
cuando cae la noche
la madera verde sigue su canto

Continue reading “smoke screens”

recycled rubbish

I think it is Blaise Pascal who is credited with having first said, “I’d have written a shorter letter if only I’d had the time.” That’s pretty much the way I feel about blog posts, which always take far longer than is reasonable for their length and (lack of) content.

The previous post was probably one of the quickest I’ve ever written, partly, perhaps, because most of it was simply linking together old ideas. I was also in a hurry to post because I had to catch a bus.

Maybe if I’d had longer to think I’d have censored it. As it is, I fear I mildly shocked certain readers by ‘using language’.**
Continue reading “recycled rubbish”

crappy word choice

From the BBC Science & environment section:

"Ancient poo clue to environment: US scientists say they can track early human movements by analysing molecules in ancient faecal matter."

Is it just me, or is that badly phrased?

This may be an appropriate place to comment on how the Spanish have difficulty in distinguishing between the /b/ and the /v/ sounds. The two letters are pronounced the same in most parts of Spain.
Continue reading “crappy word choice”