All entries for November 2009

Two Hundred and Ten Years Ago To The Day Samuel Taylor Coleridge Observes Starlings

From Coleridge's Notebooks:

"November 27th - a most interesting morning. 1799. Awoke from one of my painful Coach-Sleeps, in the Coach to London. It was a rich Orange Sky like that of a winter Evening save that the fleecy dark blue Clouds that rippled above it, shewed it to be morning - these soon became a glowing Brass Colour, brassy Fleeces, wool packs in shape / rising high up into the Sky. The Sun at length rose upon the flat Plain, like a Hill of Fire in the distance, rose wholly, & in the water that flooded part of the Flat a deep column of Light. - But as the coach went on, a Hill rose, and intercepted the Sun - and the Sun in a few minutes rose over it, a compleat 2nd rising, thro' other clouds and with a different Glory. Soon after this I saw Starlings in vast Flights, borne along like smoke, mist - like a body unindued with voluntary Power / - now it shaped itself into a circular area, inclined - now they formed a Square - now a Globe - now from complete orb into an Ellipse - then oblongated into a Balloon with the Car suspended, now a concave Semicircle; still expanding, or contracting, thinning or condensing, now glimmering and shivering, now thickening, deepening, blackening!"

David Morley : 27 Nov 2009 12:03 |  Tags: Poetry The Practice Of Poetry |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Romany Names for Counties and Towns

Most of the good folk who talked with me after my reading at Aldeburgh on Saturday wanted to know more about the Romany names for British counties and towns. This is the list from Burrow's Romany Lavo-Lil:


Baulo-mengreskey tem Swineherds' country, Hampshire

Bitcheno padlengreskey tem Transported fellows' country, Botany Bay

Bokra-mengreskey tem Shepherds' country, Sussex

Bori-congriken gav Great church town, York

Boro-rukeneskey gav Great tree town, Fairlop

Boro gueroneskey tem Big fellows' country, Northumberland

Chohawniskey tem Witches' country, Lancashire

Choko-mengreskey gav Shoemakers' town, Northampton

Churi-mengreskey gav Cutlers' town, Sheffield
Coro-mengreskey tem Potters' country, Staffordshire
Cosht-killimengreskey tem Cudgel players' country, Cornwall
Curo-mengreskey gav Boxers' town, Nottingham
Dinelo tem Fools' country, Suffolk
Giv-engreskey tem Farmers' country, Buckinghamshire
Gry-engreskey gav Horsedealers' town, Horncastle
Guyo-mengreskey tem Pudding-eaters' country, Yorkshire
Hindity-mengreskey tem Dirty fellows' country, Ireland
Jinney-mengreskey gav Sharpers' town, Manchester
Juggal-engreskey gav Dog-fanciers' town, Dudley
Juvlo-mengreskey tem Lousy fellows' country, Scotland
Kaulo gav The black town, Birmingham
Levin-engriskey tem Hop country, Kent
Lil-engreskey gav Book fellows' town, Oxford
Match-eneskey gav Fishy town, Yarmouth
Mi-develeskey gav My God's town, Canterbury
Mi-krauliskey gav Royal town, London
Nashi-mescro gav Racers' town, Newmarket
Pappin-eskey tem Duck country, Lincolnshire
Paub-pawnugo tem Apple-water country, Herefordshire
Porrum-engreskey tem Leek-eaters' country, Wales
Pov-engreskey tem Potato country, Norfolk
Rashayeskey gav Clergyman's town, Ely
Rokrengreskey gav Talking fellows' town, Norwich
Shammin-engreskey gav Chairmakers' town, Windsor
Tudlo tem Milk country, Cheshire
Weshen-eskey gav Forest town, Epping
Weshen-juggal-slommo-mengreskey tem Fox-hunting fellows' country,
Leicestershire
Wongareskey gav Coal town, Newcastle
Wusto-mengresky tem Wrestlers' country, Devonshire

David Morley : 09 Nov 2009 12:29 |  Tags: Poetry The Practice Of Poetry Warwick Prize For Writing |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem