Oh, Britannia 🇬🇧👑
Beloveds,
I was traveling in England during the last weeks of Elizabeth's reign; this is something that turns out to have been true, though there's no way I could have known it then, and now that I know it, I can't help but think of it all through that lens. It wasn't arcadian, exactly, still less were we innocents, but it suddenly feels very far away and long time past.
What times we had though! A terrific group of students showed up on time for everything and engaged the material as honestly as they could. Our discussions ranged far and wide and took place sometimes under the apple tress in the Orchard Tea Garden--haunt of Woolf, Plath, Wittgenstein et al. Every area had its rewards; highlights for me included hearing from guest speakers Michael Ward, author of Planet Narnia, Aidan Mackay, chair of the G.K. Chesterton Society, Adrian Wood, the verger of Lewis' church Holy Trinity, and even our own Kim Gilnett, caretaker of the Kilns, Lewis' home (where we had classes).
I brought my camera this time. You can see some of the sights right here.
Publications
My essay on Festus is out from the paywall over at New Criterion! You can read the whole thing for free (you may have to put in your email) right now! I think they do a beautiful job over at this website and I'm glad to bring this poem to new readers this way.
While I was in England, I wrote a piece on Frederick Buechner's passing and his lending a helping hand when I needed it.
Reading
Follow the Devil / Follow the Light by Jeremiah Webster
A supernatural thriller in serial novella form coming out weekly at Mockingbird. Sort of Frank E. Peretti meets Dante meets Screwtape meets Fight Club. Tuning in each week for the next installment is half the fun.
Required Writing by Philip Larkin
I picked this up in an Oxford coffee shop for my Tube reading. I've long known Larkin's verse, obvs, but never really read any of his prose. It is just as delightfully deadpan and one would hope.
Listening
I'm in a bit of a rut again, honestly. I've been spinning The Choir's Free Flying Soul and John Van Deusen's Origami 4 still, but nothing else is really catching. Suggestions?
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That's it for now. It's the first day of school at SPU and there's much to do.
But I'm (glad to be) back at home and looking forward to doing it.