This is another story behind the image interlude - looking at some of the pictures on this site. This image is entitled "They Fade Away Your Mum and Dad".
It is a digital "repeat to fade"rendering of a quick mobile phone capture of an old Kodak instamatic picture on my mantelpiece. I took it 30 years ago in my back-garden in Sidcup, Kent - during the summer holiday back from Polytechnic. It's my Mum and Dad. A shade over 10 years later they were both gone forever. My Mum died 20 years ago this weekend ( 18 months after my Dad ) and I became an "orphan" at 29. It's not a subtle concept - but it captures for me my feeling that people like old photos do fade away and become more difficult to recall and envisage - but also that the grief and sad emotions also fade as we move on. I loved them and they loved me - what more do I need to remember ? Physically I know where they are - washing amongst the toes of holiday-makers in Sennen Cove, where both their ashes were scattered - other than that and apart from in my head and heart - who knows ? Wherever you are - thanks - you were fab.
Posts
A very moving tribute to your parents, both visually and in the idea of image fading but not the love.
ReplyDeleteLarkin said in An Arundel Tomb;
' What will survive of us is love.'
Your words are highly evocative and I will remember them for some time to come.
Again thanks for your kind comments. My favourite verse on this subject is by Thomas Hardy - poem is called "His Immortality"
ReplyDeleteI saw a dead man's finer part
Shining with each faithful heart
Of those bereft. Then said I: "Thus must be
His immortality."
I looked there as the seasons wore,
And still his soul continuously bore
A life in theirs. But less its shine excelled
Than when I first beheld.
His fellow-yearsman passed, and then
In later hearts I looked for him again;
And found him---shrunk, alas! into a thin
And spectral mannikin.
Lastly I ask---now old and chill---
If aught of him remain unperished still;
And find, in me alone, a feeble spark,
Dying amid the dark.
Anyway - enough of this maudlin - the season of mists and mellow etceteras is upon us - bonfire night and pagan midwinter stuff ahoy.
Steve
I like your writing style, and the way you express your thoughts. There is such emotional content in your art. I appreciate your blog. Thank you. I will be stopping back.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Thankyou very much - very kind - always nice to be appreciated - I'm following your blog now and I have added you to my blog-roll.
ReplyDelete