In Memoriam: John Elsberg (1945-2012)

JOHN ELSBERG: CAM

(for Connie)

Cycling by the river Cam,
through weeds as high as our thighs,
wheels pounding over
the narrow path,
we stopped,
and letting the cycles fall into the grass,
we sat beside the still water ...

Thus begins this poem by John Elsberg which I published in issue 3 of Headland.

I published another of his Cambridge poems in issue 6 - view it on Pickings

John was studying in Cambridge and I visited him, unannounced, in September 1970.


Connie had just given birth to Steve and I penned this haiku

the newly-born child
capturing his parents' love -
the frightened cat sulks

See my Collected Works for publication credits.

I stayed a couple of days and pitched in by doing the cooking while John and Connie fussed over the baby.

The following year they came up to my parents' house in Yorkshire for a holiday and one day I took them over to Filey to meet George Cairncross (the "East Coast Recluse") who edited the magazine "Bogg".

John became firm friends with George and after he returned to the States, he produced an American issue of the magazine and eventually took it over.

Read Pat Jourdan's review of Bogg ##73/74 [dble issue].

In 1999 I published his chapbook Sailor: sample poem Complexities

On the cover was an original design by Wayne Hogan.

John died in July 2012 but I only just heard this news earlier in the week via John F Haines' "Handshake".

There is a good account of his life with various reminiscences by Jim Kacian, Richard Peabody, David Geisman, Ron Androla, and others on Issa's Unity Hut, the poetry blog for Lilliput Review.

There is a tribute by Wilson Wyatt on first person plural.

There is a memorial book of condolence on the Dignity Memorial website.

You can read a review by Patricia Prime of his collaboration with David Check, "South Jersey Shore" on NHI Review and also a review by Martin Grampound of his "Haiku Fan" A Week in the Lake District.

I published a new version of John's poem "Cam" in Editor's Dilemma. Here is how the poem ends ...

I laid my head
upon her lap, against her breasts,
and she rocked
in a cadence
without words.
So simply . . .

And then, content, I knew
of the harmony
in small graces, of the rareness
that comes so suddenly
with complete moments.
of the trust in silences
that belie the world:

soft pillows laced
with plucked dreams
and lost time.

JOHN ELSBERG

CDPB Photo of the Year 2012

Several members of the City Daily Photo Bloggers community traditionaly post a Photo of the Year on January 1st.

Last year the old CDPB portal was hacked and eventually disappeared. Although a new portal has been created, it is not hosting the Photo of the Year theme day.

This page has been created to provide a linkytools list to enable participants to gather together.

Please only use it if you are a member of the community and are posting a "Photo of the Year". Please link directly to your PotY post. Please include a link back to this page on your post.

Ashton under Lyne Metrolink Terminus

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The electronic displays at the Ashton under Lyne terminus read "For timetable information contact Metrolink Customer Services" but you'll have a long wait as services are not expected to reach Ashton until 2014.

Curiously the time on the two displays differs by 18 seconds.

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Here is a wider view of the tram station as it will be approached from the bus station.

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This is the scene in the opposite direction from Oldham Road.

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Here is how it looked from the same spot in April 2010.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Merry Christmas

★˛˚˛*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.*★˚˛*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.*★Merry*★* 。*˛.
˛°_██_*.。*./ ♥ \ .˛* .˛。.˛.*.★* Christmas*★ 。*
˛. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.* ˛_Π_____.♥Everyone ♥ ˛* ˛*
.°( . • . ) ˛°./• '♫ ' •\.˛*./______/~＼*. ˛*.。˛* ˛.*。
*(...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田 ｜門｜╬╬╬╬╬*˚ .˛ ...

Grey Moon over Garside Street

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One afternoon last week I saw the moon over Garside Street - see the scene on Hyde Daily Photo.

I zoomed in to get a closer look.

Coloured versions can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

For Skywatch Friday and The Weekend in Black and White.

A smoking reflection

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

The Weekend in Black and White:Sunset at St Anne's-on-the-Sea

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Taken in August after a day of heavy rain.

The structure in the centre is the remains of a jetty that use to be alongside the pier until 1982 when after a fire a third of the seaward end of the pier had to be demolished.

See a full colour version on sithenah.

For The Weekend in Black and White.

Higher Ardwick 1990/2012: From Union to Spicy Grill

In May 2010 I published some photographs of the Dukinfield Arms on Old Hyde. They were taken by Alan Young, a guitarist with the classic rock band, Par Avion from Charleston, WV, who came over in June 1990, together with Tim Thompson (manager & bass guitarist), Brian Young (drummer), Tena Hall (vocalist and now his wife) and Dennis Loudermilk (sound technician). They stayed at the Dukinfield Arms while doing a number of gigs in the area.

He sent me several photos which I matched with modern views. However I was unable at the time to place these photographs of The Union. Recently, though, I discovered an entry in the Pubs of Manchester blog, which places it in Higher Ardwick.

Alan's photograph, featuring Dennis, Brian and Tena, shows that is was then a Wilson's pub. It later changed to the Burtonwood brewery before closing down in 2009.

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A week ago I went to check it out for myself. I found it on the corner of Union Street and Higher Ardwick. It has been converted into the "Spicy Grill", a tandoori takeaway which still advertises a "A Warm & Friendly Welcome".

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On the opposite side of Higher Ardwick is the former Ardwick Conservative Club which was built in 1878. That is now occupied by the "Bead Shop" which offers a range of jewellery making classes.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Monday Murals: Rochdale Canal Lock #85

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Following on from my post two weeks ago of Manchester Rose 2002, the mural in the Piccadilly Tunnel and my post last week of an unofficial mural near lock #85 of the Rochdale Canal that lies within the tunnel, this week I'm showing you another one I found there.

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Those of you familiar with British TV soaps will recognise the images of iconic Corrie women on the wall. How they got there and their connection with the dog-walker is something I'd quite like the answer to myself.

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The location of the street art can be seen on the wall looking back through the end of the lock.

See other murals on Monday Murals.

Sunday Bridges: Norbury Viaduct, Hazel Grove

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This bridge over Macclesfield Road leads on to the Norbury viaduct. Just beyond the bridge on the left is the terminus of the 192 bus service to Manchester. It carries over nine million passengers each year, and is considered by many to be the busiest bus route in the country - see Wikipedia.

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Established under the arches of the viaduct since 1982 is the used-car salerooms of the Midland Garage.

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The viaduct was built by the Midland Railway as part of the New Mills to Heaton Mersey line, which formed part of its main line between Manchester Central and London St Pancras.

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At the end of the viaduct is the bridge over the A6, Buxton Road.

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Like all railway bridges in the UK it carries a notice detailing who to contact in the event of any damage caused to the bridge by striking vehicles.

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A final look back at Buxton Road bridge from the other side.

An old view of the viaduct can be found on the Stockport Image Archive.

For more bridges, visit Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

ABC Wednesday: N is for New York New York

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The sign belongs to the Manchester public house now known as New York New York.

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On the corner of Bloom Street and Abingdon Street in Manchester's "Gay Village", the pub has a long tradition of being a "gay bar".

Back in the days when the "Village" didn't really exist, it was a Wilson's house called simply the "New York".

See this photograph from the 1950s

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Here is a detail of the Abingdon Street corner of the building. Across the street, Bloom Street has been reduced to "Loom Tree".

Compare with this photograph from the 1970s and another from 1986.

For more information visit the Pubs of Manchester website.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Murals: More in the Piccadilly Tunnel

Last week I showed you an official mural of the Manchester Rose in the Piccadilly Tunnel which carries the Rochdale Canal under this part of the city.

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Beyond the lovely official mural is Lock #85 where someone is about to the open the gate for their narrowboat to enter. On the opposite wall, away from the towpath, are a number of "unofficial" murals or street art.

One lies under a police notice and is likely to be temporary.

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Next week I'll show your more of the lock and a rather nicer "unofficial mural".

For contributions from other lovers of wall art visit Monday Murals.

Monday Murals: Manchester Rose 2002

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This is the centre panel of a mural inside the Piccadilly tunnel through which the Rochdale Canal passes.

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For many years, the tunnel below Piccadilly, which includes Lock 85, had been a neglected and menacing area. In 2002/3, in readiness for the re-opening of the whole Rochdale Canal, the tunnel area was improved, with better lighting, dark recesses blocked off by panelling and a new walkway avoiding the need to walk around the edge of the underground area. The new mural brightens the panelling.

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The mural celebrates in art the cultural heritage of Manchester, from the industrial revolution through to the Commonwealth Games. Its centrepieces are renditions of the Commonwealth Games 2002 logo and the canal boat 'Manchester Rose 2002', emphasising the importance that year played in rejuvenating the city's 20 mile waterway system.

More information on the Pennine Waterways website.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

ABC Wednesday: J is for Jigsaw

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This is a substantial wooden jigsaw made by Galt Toys. It features the "traditional/historic" counties of England & Wales. These are what is generally referred to as the pre-1971 configuration before the creation of the current local government administrative areas.

I took this photo after some friends on Facebook began discussing such a jigsaw. It seems there a number of different designs; their's had Denbigh and Flint as a single piece whereas my Flint is seperate, being bulked by the inclusion of the Dee estuary. In mine Rutland is joined on to Leicestershire, but some versions have a seperate Rutland piece.

Hungtingdon and Cambridge (under the light-flash in the photo) is other piece that contains two counties.

Yorkshire is divided into its Ridings and the Furness area of Lancashire is attached to Westmorland but distinguished by its colour. There is a county labelled "London" but no Middlesex.

Another things different with my jigsaw compared to those of my friends is that each county with the exception of Anglesey and Flint include one or more pictograms. Most are understandable although a few now seem somewhat anachronisitic.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Pavement Art, Garden Street, St Annes on Sea

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Whilst we were in St Annes last week we came across these metal carvings set into the pavement along Garden Street in the centre of town.

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There is at least another one featuring Trees but a shopkeeper had placed a sandwich-board half over that one so I didn't get a photo.

I thought they may have been some kind of millennium artwork but when I asked in the local library they didn't seem to know much about them. The person I asked did say she thought they may be a recent school's project.

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If they were on a wall I'd call them "murals" but they are set into the pavement (that's the sidewalk for our American friends). Someone suggested they are perhaps "floorals" (note in Northern English speak "floor" rhymes with "moor" note "more")

A contribution to Monday Murals.

ABC Wednesday:H is for Hemingway

Gwyllam Williams wrote on his Poet in Residence blog

I don't imagine for two seconds that it'll be easy finding too much poetic phraseology in the works of Ernest Miller Hemingway. His work in general is without the ingredient we like to call poetic quality. Some have called it reportage. He has many imitators. Some good. Some bad.

I commented then

I've got a copy of a small booklet of poems by Hemingway somewhere - published (if I recall correctly) by Lawrence Ferlinghetti in California c.1966

I've since fished it out and see the date is actually 1960.

Al Filreis in his blog 1960 comments

Over the years there have been nine unauthorized editions of the poems. All or most of these editions contain 18 poems, which are most of the poems Hem wrote and published while he was living in Paris in the 1920s. The critical response to his verse is mostly based on the pirated editions, which are filled with errors.

One of these unauthorized editions was published by City Lights in San Francisco in 1960. It sold for 50 cents.

The pirated edition is advertised on Amazon at $45.99 (new) or 8 used from $4.99

My copy has 21p in pencil inside the front cover. I suspect I picked it up for that meagre sum, probably from a bookshop in the Shambles in York. It used to have a room full of little pamphlets that you could rummage through.

This poem is dated February 1925

THE AGE DEMANDED

The age demanded that we sing
And cut away our tongue.

The age demanded that we flow
And hammered in the bung.

The age demanded that we dance
And jammed us into iron pants.

And in the end the age has handed
The sort of shit that it demanded.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY

Hemingway aficionados might like to check out Paul E Stolle's blog Hemingway's Paris

For ABC Wednesday.

Monday Murals: Pontins, St Annes

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This delightful mural is on the side of the shop at the old Pontins Holiday Camp at St Annes on the Sea.

The old holiday camp closed in October 2009. It was well past its "sell-by-date" and rumour has it that the lease on the land was running out and updating the campsite was not a viable option. Pontins went into liquidiation and most of their existing operations were taken over by Brittania Hotels.

Northern Trust, a company based in Chorley, had plans (dating back to 2008 seemingly) to build houses on the site. Demolition of the site started in 2010 and some two thirds were cleared but some buildings including this one and a row of chalets alongside the main road still remain. It would seem demolition has stopped as there are now doubts over whether the housing plans will actually go ahead.

More insight into all this can be found on Counterbalance: Pontins Puzzle and a follow-up article Ten Grand.

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For now these murals remains but probably not for too much longer.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

ABC Wednesday: C is for Cheetham's Cattle

These two photo's were taken in 2000 at the Gee Cross Fete. Cheetham and sons farm on Werneth Low and used to deliver milk all around the Hyde area. These belong to the Longdendale Herd of Pedigree Red Poll cattle.

I thought that Mr Cheetham had retired from farming a few years ago, but have since learnt that although they no longer have a milk round they are still busy producing.

For more C posts visit ABC Wednesday.

More animals on Camera Critters.

ABC Wednesday: B is forBoulton's Bowlder

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A memorial in St Peter's churchyard, Ashton under Lyne.

The inscription reads:

This Bowlder
was placed here by
Alderman Issac Watt Boulton MP
of Stamford House Ashton under Lyme
in affectionate remembrance of
his eldest son
Thomas Boulton
who was for 9 years warden of this church
Born November 5th 1841
and died at sea February 5th 1880
on board the R.M.S.S Kinpauns Castle
wherest on a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope
to recruit his health
his remains were committed to the deep
in Lat.11.30 South Long.2.30 West, February 8th 1880
Lord have mercy on my soul
and take me to thee

Note the spelling Ashton under Lyme (not Lyne) was common in the 19th century.

For ABC Wednesday.

Port Street Mural

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En route to find last week's street art in Stevenson Square I came across this mural on the rear of the Hatter's Hotel on Port Street.

It was completed in November 2011. See David Seale's photograph on Geograph showing the artists putting the finishing touches to the work.

Chrissy Brand posted her own photo of the artwork on Mancunian Wave in April.

For Monday Murals

ABC Wednesday: A is for Archimedes under an arch through an arch

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Under an arch of the railway from Piccadilly to Oxford Road is a stone statue which shows a life sized Archimedes leaping naked from his bath whilst experiencing his "eureka moment". It was created by the artist Thomas W Dagnall and unveiled in September 1990.

The view here is through the Technology Arch, a sculpture by Axel Wolkenhauer. It consists of thick metal ropes set into a mobius strip, and passing upwards into an arch. It is set on a circular metal base. The work refers to spiral forms in time and space. The mobius or endless loop and the materials used create a dialogue between science and nature. A base plaque states "Made possible by North West Arts and British Ropes Ltd, 1989".

Early commentators have been asking for a front view of Archimedes so here it is

  © Copyright David Dixon and
licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

These sculptures are just a few of the interesting things I found on a walk following the railway arches from Piccadilly to Oxford Road. The whole walk can be visited on the Geograph blog.

Further A posts can be discovered at ABC Wednesday.

Monday Murals: Stevenson Square, Manchester

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Last week I thought it was time I ventured into Stevenson Square in Manchester to see the regularly changing street art there having heard of it via Chrissy Brand at Mancunian Wave. Her post this week shows one side of the latest artwork and a close-up of part thereof.

My photo shows one end which seems to compliment the advertisement on the back of the nearby bus. The street art is set around some closed underground toilets.

I found some other murals in the vicinity which I'll share in future posts.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Monday Murals/Doorways: The Thirsty Scholar

The Thirsty Scholar is a bar and night club situated under one of the railway arches by Oxford Road station. The area around New Wakefield Street has a lot of graffiti/street art. The council are threatening to remove it, hence the "Save our Street Art" posters.

Chrissy Brand featured one of the New Wakefield Street murals last Monday on Mancunian Wave.

This is one of a series of photographs I took on a walk last Monday around the route of the viaduct linking Piccadilly to Oxford Road making some interesting discoveries along the way. An illustrated account of that walk can be found on the Geograph blog.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Weekend in Black & White: Arch #42

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A look alongside the viaduct that carries the railway line from Oxford Road to Piccadilly in Manchester.

Arch 42 near Princess Street is roughly halfway between the two stations.

This is one of a series of photographs I took on a walk around the route of the viaduct making some interesting discoveries along the way. An illustrated account of that walk can be found on the Geograph blog.

This is a contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

International Olympicosmpoetriada

EARTH AND SKY

This astro-photo-art-poem by Arlene Carol (USA, residing in Turkey) precedes my astrohaiku in the latest web production by SARM MASTER FESTIVAL (PART II OF MASTER OLYMPICOSMOPOETRIADA)

***

across light years
googols of radio waves
oscillate

Gerald England

The anthology of super photographs and poetry also includes

ESCAPING QUESTION

Whispers her dream snake
tongue licked up from pyramid
peak caught fly wise fall
of meteor swallowed spark
reawake mummy's goodbye smile

by Steve Sneyd

SIGNALS, DEDICATED FROM THE SKY

In the picture above, on the bottom left, you see the lunar disk. Ufo Analyzer software has classified the fireball as belonging to the class "J5_And" Andromenidi with estimated magnitude, but perhaps underestimated: - (minus) 4.5!
Latitude and Longitude of observing station:
Lat 46.933300 North
Long 26.366600 East
Date of sighting: 19th November 2011

image © Alfredo Caronia (Italy,
co-discoverer of 5 asteroids, established in Romania)

is followed by

3.3.12

I missed the fireball streak across the sky
That set alarm calls ringing across the land
As people thought a plane was crashing, or
A UFO had brought aliens from on high
(Their mission to invade had long been planned)
But, most likely it was just a meteor.

by John Francis Haines

Another contribution by Steve Sneyd is

TANKA

Twin suns death dancing
tear gobbets of hot flesh : shared
world pretends nothing
much just presents a gain who
hurl harmless lost meteor dreams


Valentin Grigore's VENUS AND JUPITER OVER TARGOVISTE, 15th March 2012

is followed by

twilight
an incoming jet flies by
Venus twinkles

Gerald England

All of this is just a minute part of the International Olympicosmpoetriada coordinated by Andrei Dorian Gheorghe and Valentin Grigore of the Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy.