By Paul Holman.
fleet ii
By Paul Holman.
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒhow many springs arise
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒwithin a hollow
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒlandscape where some lord
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof the high places
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒimpregnated cattle
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbefore descending
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒin human form
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒto reign
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒat the junction
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof green parishes in
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒmeadows now fringed
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒby houses which concealed
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒall trace of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒchapel and
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒoak at
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthis site a friend not
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa follower of Christ
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒmaintained the gospel
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒto be Roman cant
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒpreached a more
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒoblique system such
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒobservances as the veneration
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof antlers had
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbeen effaced
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒto suit
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe resurrection
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof kings yet continued
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒin secluded neighbourhoods
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbetween which
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe children carried
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒno weatherbeaten
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒor
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒpatched saint
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbut ranged in the character
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof deer on account
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof this visitation
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe chatelaine of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe forest could
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒdeclare the souls of boar
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒand wolf to be
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒdangerous to a faith
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthat led Adam and Eve
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒto couple in disgust
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒfor the entertainment
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa minister
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒwho cursed the irregular
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒand clandestine
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒpublication of their history
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒby means of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa ceremony which
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒfew observed in a garden
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof mineral springs
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒnext to that of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒlonely drinking
”ƒ”ƒthen performed
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒworks of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa holy character
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒrising from some parallel
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒstream to the
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒestablishment attended
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒby conflict with
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe state in loss
”ƒthe primitive
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbody is supposed
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒto possess formidable
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒvirtues the miraculous
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒcountenance
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒhung in smoke its
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒlikeness never faded
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒin decay but was
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒknown
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒfrom a treatise
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof no value to most who
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbelonged to the company
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthat followed
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒOldcastle from prison
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒinto the great oven
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe milk of Black Mary
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒflowing with the waters
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof the brook
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒunder a wooden
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒfoot-bridge and on
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbeneath the arches of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe Temple an inscription
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒnamed
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒobsolete
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒand barbarous queens
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒwho suffered death
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒyet exist within a
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒdeep chasm having
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbeen deprived of all
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒprestige in maze and
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒamphitheatre one
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒsister rising to
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒintrench
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe citie menaced
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒby famous squadrons
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa sign drawn in
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒfire-works by the council
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof beggars and gamesters
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒagainst every
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒmanner of masters
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒcuriously substantial
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒappearance of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa spy in the museum
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof dust and archaic
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒrefuse where
the accumulated traces
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof a
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒformer culture
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒallude to nothing more
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthan the corrupted
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒname of Jerusalem both
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒvine-yard and fish-pond
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒsite favourable
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒto mysteries that
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒsupersede the miracles
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒperformed in an
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒopen street with
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe characteristic
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒgallantry of demons
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthey do not howl at the
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒgross comedy of death
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbut make sport
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe consolers bearing
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa testament of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe slain lamb before
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒits skinners and
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒcrying out in
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒspite of
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒa passion for obedience
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthat made them
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒexpress regret at so
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒpublic
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒan illustration
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof their unease
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒas they stood in the presence
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof a corpse
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒunder Blackfriars
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒBridge sliding naked
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒupon
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒsilt and filth
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒthe inhabitants
”ƒ”ƒof the Fleet renewed the
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒdiscreet but troubling
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒpower which once
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒexisted in that burnt and
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒbreak-neck friend
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒwhose misery
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒwas treated as
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒsome cruel
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒdevice of angels
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒby the immortal wardens
”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒ”ƒof this stream
[Author photo by Paul Lambert, pictures of the lost River Fleet by Rich Cutler]
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul Holman has been engaged for some twenty years upon The Memory of the Drift, a shifting but ultimately circular work which is both a record of operations and a process in itself.
Four previously issued sections were gathered in paperback by Shearsman Books in 2007: much of the writing he made for the project in the 2000s was first published on the Great Works website, and is still archived there. His new book, Tara Morgana, is now available from Scarlet Imprint.
He is currently working on a modern emblem book, and a gallery project, in collaboration with the photographer Rich Cutler, on the lost River Fleet, of which this is the text.
