Gay

Because of 'February House' and the Noel Coward biographies I have been ruminating on gay modern history and for me it begins with Oscar Wilde.  Gay men, of course have always existed, but the famous and talented were discreet. Then came Oscar and his love for Bosie.  It was Bosie's father, the Marquess of Queens-bury, who addressed Oscar as 'posing as a sodomite'.  Oscar would kiss young men in public and comment on their beauty.  Questionable public behavior and dangerous.  So dangerous that Noel Coward, forty years later, admonished Cecil Beaton: "Your sleeves are too tight, your voice is too high and too precise.  You mustn't do it.  It closes so many doors."
Famously, it closed the door of Reading Goal on Oscar in 1895 and it was a kiss that did him in.  Years later in 'The Ballad of Reading Goal' he wrote:

I only knew what haunted thought
Quickened his step, and why
He looked upon the garish day
With such a wistful eye;
The man had killed the thing he loved
And so he had to die.

Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword.

At his trial he was asked why he would often kiss young men in public.  He said it was a sign of affection.  When he was given a list of the young men there was one he said he didn't kiss.  When asked why, he said the young man was ugly.  His kisses were not a sign of affection but a sign of attraction.  The kiss that never happened did him in.


Oh Who Is That Young Sinner

Oh who is that young sinner with the handcuffs on his wrists?
And what has he been after that they groan and shake their fists?
And wherefore is he wearing such a conscience-stricken air?
Oh they're taking him to prison for the colour of his hair.

'tis a shame to human nature, such a head of hair as his;
In the good ole time 'twas hanging for the colour that it is;
Though hanging isn't bad enough and flaying would be fair
For the nameless and abominable colour of his hair.

Oh a deal of pains he's taken and a pretty price he's paid
To hide his poll or dye it of a mentionable shade;
But they've pulled the beggar's hat off for the world to see and stare,
And they're haling him to justice for the colour of his hair.

 Now it's oakum for his fingers and the treadmill for his feet
And the quarry-gang on Portland in the cold and in the heat,
And between his spells of labour in the time he has to spare
He can curse the God who made him for the colour of his hair.
                                                           A. E. Housman, 1895

According to 'February House', shortly after initiating a lesbian relationship with Erika Mann, Carson McCullers has a breakdown and takes to her bed for six weeks with a fever.  When she recovers she returns to her alcoholic and abusive husband.

Perversity

I figure if I have provocative titles I'll get more readers.
But also the stones have been a perverse pain in more ways than one.  They have altered my diet, my mood and my daily life.  I had the lithotripsy and it went well at the time but I've still had back pain.  Today is my first day without pain.  Friday I had the x-ray and I see the MD Tuesday June 5th.  I hope the stones are gone.

Got to get me one of those seats.  Spend too much time standing around waiting for people.
The photo was taken outside the met where I went to see the 'Steins Collect' exhibition.  I was very moved by Matisse's 'Woman with a Hat' and other pieces the Steins had collected.  [They are on view at the Met website]
I did not know that Gertrude and Leo's brother Michael and their sister-in-law Sarah were even more prolific collectors.  They were so admiring of artists that they had their home designed by Le Corbusier.

Where else have I been.  Went to the Public and saw 'February House'.  Excellent musical that I will write about another time.  Lots of movies from netflix, nothing special, basically reading and resting.


The farmers market at Union Square

 

And on the street:

The window display at Fisher's Eddy [silverware-silverwear?]

This is the 4th group of young people I saw asleep on the street within 10 blocks.