Friday, November 20, 2009

Friend / Unfriend

How did our long bilingual discussions
about literature, culture and philosophy
become your unending monologue about boredom
at work, 'nightmare' flatmates and the awful weather?

You had picked me out with several other women
to shower with gifts and good conversation
to groom as minions and then to manipulate distance
between us and you; sneering at those of us
you drove to tears.

One rainy day you sent me away
at the end of your latest monologue
then removed from me
my assigned best friend duties.
Now you've unfriended me.

I only wish I'd got there first.


Unfriend is the Word of the Year for the New Oxford American Dictionary. You can read more at Writing Companion here.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

North Merchiston Cemetry




Edinburgh Council took over the management of North Merchiston Cemetry as the previous managers had let it fall into a state of disrepair. It still looks very uncared for, but there are some lovely monuments and trees.

Monday, November 02, 2009

The Effect of Living Backwards - Heidi Julavits

This is a strangely compelling novel, in which two sisters are involved in a plane hijacking. Each of the passengers has a 'story of shame' of their own and not all is as it seems. It is a novel about terrorism and how it poisons modern life and relationships, about paranoia and about how we are manipulated in the 'war against terrorism'. Some critics have described it as very funny, which apart from occasionally I didn't think it was. Some people hate it, but I think its a very timely, must read novel for today.