Michael Allyn Wells

Friday, June 10, 2005

Finding Things

In what I suppose could best be described as a rare find, an aria composed by Johann Sebastain Bach was recently discovered in the back of a poetry book when a researcher at Weimar's Anna Amalia Library in Germany conducted an inventory of material salvaged from a blaze, which gutted the library last year.

The handwritten piece is said to have been written to accompany one of the poems in a book given to the Duke of Weimer by Bach in 1713. The book was thought to be simply poetry written by a local poet. Evidently, the Library all along has had this intriguing piece and was unaware of it. Strange how things work sometimes. They almost lost something they didn't know they had.

So this got me to thinking about the interesting things I sometimes tuck into book.
At random, I have pulled out four books and found the following:

1. A sheet of self adhesive commemorative Ogden Nash stamps. Ok, there are only 5 stamps left - the others have been used.

2. An officemax receipt from 2-13-95 with notes scribbled on the back relating to diabetic food exchange points.

3. A "real bookmark" - as opposed to one of those other items we insert to keep place in a book.
This on is a Shakespeare - from a Literary Luminaries series.

4. A business card sized cardstock that says "I carry a pager" and has a place for a number. ( What the "F" is a pager? Is that something like an 8-track?)

Well, none of those rises to the level of the Anna Amalia Library find. I suppose 292 years from now, five 37 cent postage stamps may be worth more. Likely at least a good laugh that we could even sent mail across the country for 37 cents... or maybe people will just bust a gut laughing at the thought of snail main period.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

thought on poetry

Painting is silent poetry. ~Plutarch, Moralia: How to Study Poetry

Strangest Place

The strangest place at which I've read poetry was on a bus. I mean, aloud. As in a poetry reading. It was a little bit guerilla, actually. Saw this on Ivy's blog and reminded me that poetess Gloria Vando related to me that she had done this during a poetry month event, I believe in LA. Seemed wild at the time. I enjoy doing readings... I think the idea of doing it on a bus to unsuspecting commuters would however un-nerve me.

Anyone have a stranger place they have read?