Later afternoon today I sojourned around Kensington Gardens, flanking Hyde’s Park (though I didn’t cross the water to explore there yet). A beautiful place, thoroughly invigorating; the walk cleared my mind. I sat under a tree and enjoyed my first Cornwall Pasty (traditional – something like the most delicious pot pie made from a roast dinner and handheld) and then saw Round Pound (lovely ducks and swans) and wound round to the Serpentine Gallery, which portrayed some work by Richard Prince. I can’t say I know much about modern art, but I like this man’s works so far, very much. It is odd how something taken out of context, like the hood of an old car or even a joke, can suddenly become an object of contemplation and beauty.
Before leaving I sought out the Peter Pan statue and tried to find the Statue of Physical Energy, but could only find Pan. A nice park, the world was there, walking, playing sports, soaking up the sun, etc.. Starting to think it might be normal not to find everything you seek for, too, here, generally, on one trip.
On the hike back to Lee Abbey, where I’ll grab some dinner before running to the tube to catch a show, I saw another performer and beggar, not far from one another. It was an odder pairing, too. The performer was pregnant (about six months) and looked a touch slatternly (so far most of them don’t) in a tight red shirt and other such and she seemed to be singing opera but I couldn’t tell if it was the radio in her hands that made the voice and she was mouthing or if it was her. The beggar was painful to see. He was curled in the shadow of a trash bin, nose to knees, his beard in that frazzled half state between short and long. Between the grime of his spread feet was a candy tin, bright with gold foil, for change. Against the tin was propped a very small light brown teddy bear with a black ribbon around its neck. The bear was only a little mangy. The man made eye contact with no one, and seemed only to be in pain.
On my few late night walks I’ve heard domestic quarrels and lovers loving and in the days the whole world seems to walk through these streets, people from everywhere, settling, having settled, transient and moving on.
Before leaving I sought out the Peter Pan statue and tried to find the Statue of Physical Energy, but could only find Pan. A nice park, the world was there, walking, playing sports, soaking up the sun, etc.. Starting to think it might be normal not to find everything you seek for, too, here, generally, on one trip.
On the hike back to Lee Abbey, where I’ll grab some dinner before running to the tube to catch a show, I saw another performer and beggar, not far from one another. It was an odder pairing, too. The performer was pregnant (about six months) and looked a touch slatternly (so far most of them don’t) in a tight red shirt and other such and she seemed to be singing opera but I couldn’t tell if it was the radio in her hands that made the voice and she was mouthing or if it was her. The beggar was painful to see. He was curled in the shadow of a trash bin, nose to knees, his beard in that frazzled half state between short and long. Between the grime of his spread feet was a candy tin, bright with gold foil, for change. Against the tin was propped a very small light brown teddy bear with a black ribbon around its neck. The bear was only a little mangy. The man made eye contact with no one, and seemed only to be in pain.
On my few late night walks I’ve heard domestic quarrels and lovers loving and in the days the whole world seems to walk through these streets, people from everywhere, settling, having settled, transient and moving on.
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