Today the 'Gypsy Horses' came through on memories but I shall keep them for a later blog. Today is the penultimate day before the State function of the burial service of our Queen, I am going to remember another king who caused some controversy over his burial. I chanced upon it whilst meandering through warm summers down by the river.
Richard III, eventually buried at Leicester Cathedral after a lengthy court case as to where he should be buried, either at Leicester or York. It seems an expensive and lengthy legal battle ensued as to where his last resting place should be. Mike Pitts in his summary of the case gives a detailed outlook on the findings.
History has a funny way of turning up, Elliot tried to capture the moment in time when everything seems to be at one, past, present, future. We go through another royal funeral, taking with us the past, the Gormenghastian tradition of old rites played out once more. But what is Royal blood I wonder? Will there be an upsurge of Republicans counting the cost? All history in the making and as Elliot says "only in a world of speculation".
And for another poem this time by Carol Ann Duffy on the burial of King Richard III, read by the slightly controversial Benedict Cumberpatch.
I wish republicans would just shut up. Anything else would be far worse. I am thankful I do not have Royal blood.
ReplyDeletewell somehow Tasker we can all be traced back to some sort of lineage, Cumberpatch reckons he is a cousin on the side of Richard III. But given the last PM who would have happily taken on head of state forever, perhaps we should give republicanship a miss!
DeleteMy goodness what a lot of money spent! I suppose I sound simple by saying 'possession is 9/10s of the law. He was found in Leicester. He's theirs.
ReplyDeleteYour poem at the beginning: when I was a child, it actually used to frighten me to think about 'today' which was yesterday's future, and will be tomorrow's yesterday. I spent a lot of time pondering that and being afraid, and I'm not even certain why that was.
If you can think of parallel worlds alongside each other, perhaps that is a better way of seeing it Debby not seeing time as linear. As for the fight for the bones of Richard III, he is resting, where he fell in battle I believe. The respect and burial of ancient ancestor bones is quite interesting. Should we display them in museums for instance, the Amesbury Archer found at Stonehenge and on display at Salisbury museum was questioned.
DeleteAs I matured, the concept lost its fearsomeness. I don't exactly why it scared me so...it just seemed so enormous.
DeleteThelma, I just wanted to thank you for posting about your visit to Salt's Mill some time ago. It gave me the idea to spend a weekend there to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary after a fairly horrific summer. We enjoyed the history of the mill and David Hockney's mural but our best hour was spent in the early music shop where I succumbed to buying a small harp and mountain dulcimer. Saturday evening was spent on the Howarth Haddock entertained by the wonderful cover band, Wired. They have a superb drummer who kept us dancing for nearly an hour! Thank you again for all you share on your blog. You have taken me to unknown artists and down remembered pathways to ancient sites.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, thank you for saying that, it really bucked me up. We did pass the music shop but none of the family is musical so I'm glad you were able to a small harp, an instrument I dearly love to listen to. Brilliant that your weekend was so good and obviously you must be attached to the megaliths as well. Salt Mills by the way is awe-inspiring as a gigantic building and the time it takes to potter around, not forgetting the restaurant which may take two visits whilst you wander around just to keep the energy up.
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