Like many people these days (no?) I come to Norman Douglas via Elisabeth David (in this instance her pieces collected in An Omelette and a Glass of Wine). Siren Land arrived this morning & I have just read the first chapter 'Sirens and their Ancestry' which - according to Ford Maddox Ford - was the most beautiful thing the English Review ever printed. One can see why. Pound, Olson, Davenport, Lawrence (D.H.) seem to be in attendance along with that other very distinctive Douglasian note.

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Also worthy of mention is the re-release of Rip Rig & Panic's original albums in Extended Edition CDs (plenty of bonus tracks). I Am Cold has long been a favourite of mine from the cover in (that wonderful solo piano track ...). Although what Norman would have made of 80s punk-jazz outfits God alone knows ...

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A line in George Herbert's poem 'Affliction (4)':

"My thoughts are all a case of knives"

In my case, blunt pencil stubs?

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Rain off & on throughout the day. A distinct chill to the air. September declares its hand.