AWAY, MELANCHOLY – The Vampire's Wife

Away Melancholy

I have been in London, working on The Vampire’s Wife display at Harrods. My husband has been writing in Brighton—always writing. He emailed me this link to a little film made for him by some of his fans. Nick’s fans are simply the greatest—they have such a deep understanding of him, and such extraordinary dedication. Nick loves the poems of Stevie Smith, perhaps more than any other poet. I love them too, for their pure and guileful pleasure.

My husband wrote,

Check this little film out, babe. I got it this morning and it floored me. I’ve read this poem a hundred times but never heard it spoken so beautifully. Be careful, though, it’s a heartbreaker!

Love, Nick

Away, Melancholy read by Julia Feroglio, sent by Katrine and the Merry Nickmas Christmas team.

Such a beautiful, measured performance of this wonderful poem, much needed at this time. Thank you, Julia and Katrine and all. You guys are the best.

Love, Susie x

YET WILL THIS PASS, AND PASS SHALL I?

‘A Popular Personage at Home’ was one of two poems Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) wrote about his beloved dog of 13 years, Wessex, who died in 1926, two years before Hardy himself. However, what makes ‘A Popular Personage at Home’ especially notable is that Hardy wrote the poem from the perspective of the dog, allowing ‘Wessex’ to speak for himself. It also hints at the erosion of nature itself! A beautiful poem about a dog.

I GIVE MY WISDOM AND EXPERIENCE TO ANIMALS

‘I gave my beauty and my youth to men. I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals.’ I love this quote from the great Brigitte Bardot and I so admire how she dedicated her ‘second life’ to looking after animals. She also said, ‘Animals have the purity humans have definitely lost!’ A great, great woman.

A FROG LEAPS IN

I’ve been reading a beautiful little book of haiku poems I found at a second hand book dealer in Lewes. Such a gorgeous thing by Matsuō Basho, the poet-master of the Haiku. You can see the pond! You can hear the frog!