A while ago I bought a book called Old Songs in a New Cafe by Robert James Waller. In the book is a story called A Canticle to Road Cat. You can read this online. It is not the best way to read something so beautiful. The best way is to take a book off a shelf, or send for a copy second hand, find a warm and sunny spot, preferably scented with roses in a garden lit by emerald light and turn the pages. If you have a cat on you knee even better. I would suggest a tissue might be useful too. Few people can write with such precise elegance as Robert James Waller. I will make the time over the next few weeks to read more of his words.
Blue
A sleeping beauty
Fish at b&b where mum and dad stayed
Lavender's blue
Four and twenty tailors
Studio table
Partridge, pear.
I agree. A real book, one you can hold, that has a smell, that perhaps has scribbles in the margins from some unknown previous owner, and you can add some of your own if you wish, that you can read wherever you like, is far better than reading online. And yes, I did need a tissue.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful story indeed, my cheeks are still wet.
ReplyDeleteI fear to soon be there myself. Tiny Cat has got his bad cough back, and in spite of dragonprincess's wishes I fear it's more than a troublesome hairball. I'm not sure antibiotics and steroids will do it this time.
Someone gave me the book on CD version of "Old Songs in a New Cafe"... it was a great way to experience it, I think, because he reads it and he plays guitar interludes. I had recently lost one of my kitties, so "A Canticle to Road Cat" was a teary read for me... I love the way he writes the "both/and" of the human condition- especially when he writes of our emotional reality. I definitely would use the word "precise" as you have to describe his writing.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you very much Lalerianna for not pointing out the impresice nature of my original spelling of the word 'write'. Hoping to dip in and out of the book while I wait for paint to dry this week.
ReplyDeleteHope Tiny Cat is ok. My Tiny Cat Pixie also has a cough and the sneezes. It seems her immune system is not what it should be. She is ok though and curled in warm sunshine at the moment.
I don't know much about art, but the Partridge and pear make me think of illuminated manuscripts--perhaps the colors are softer, but there is a lovely sense of antiquity.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Roadcat...it was a teary read but so beautiful....
ReplyDeleteThank you for introducing me to Waller's writing. I look forward to reading more of his work when I can next get to Mr B's
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