the sun and the moon
and the stars
Now is the Moon’s Eyebrow.
When my son was little, we had that book by Cooper Edens.
I have always loved that line.
Another book, The Vanishing Pumpkin by Tony Johnston.
“Please do,” growled the ghoul.
I have always loved that line as well, I used to say it out loud
all the time. People looked at me funny.
And this one, from the same book: In fact, she fairly flew.
This happens when I run, every once in a while.
The Sky Jumps Into Your Shoes When You Take Them Off at Night.
Another book, also by Cooper Edens.
The Caretakers of Wonder. Another one, same author.
Why don’t they write books like that for adults?
Books you can barely find these days, treasures that lie forgotten.
Words change your life, sometimes.
You read them and they imprint themselves on your mind.
Her pupils were two black thorns turned inward.
The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike.
The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham.
A book I have never forgotten.
Lines that speak to the soul in you, written from the soul of
the writer. This connection that keeps humans, human.
Speech.
My cats talk to me, they express their needs, their desires.
But that nuance of words and language, that is for the artists.
Almost, I would rather read Vincent Van Gogh’s letters
than look at his paintings. Almost.
How many combinations are possible, with words?
At some point the human race will start to repeat itself.
It has to, or else invent more words.
But fire speaks the language of us all.
This is not open to interpretation, it is fire.
It has kept us all alive.
Besides, now is the moon’s eyebrow.
::
What’s your favorite line?
July 16th, 2010 at 10:06 am
You know what? I completely believe that this is part of your Purpose: ‘Why don’t they write books like that for adults? Books you can barely find these days, treasures that lie forgotten.’
Over the years, I’ve ‘seen’ picture books with the most beautiful illustrations and enlightened, calming words in my mind’s eye. And they’ve been written for adults, not children. Or perhaps, the Inner Child that remains within each one of us: be s/he Wounded or Magical.
You truly have a way of speaking to and healing the heart with your words. Imagine books like this in Womens’ Shelters or Rehab Centres around the world. Powerful …
July 16th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Childhood books invoke such great memories don’t they . . . love some of those lines you quoted.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I’ve always loved “I prefer men to cauliflowers”.
July 16th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
“I became the sky.” Isn’t that just wonderful? “I became the sky.” Sigh… I love it. Every time I think of this line it gives me chills. It is absolutely thrillsome. “I became the sky.”
July 16th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
“My name is Beautiful Joe, and I am a brown dog of medium size. I am not beautiful, and I am not a thoroughbred. I am only a cur.” The first line in the book “Beautiful Joe.” Santa Claus gave me this for Christmas a long time ago. It’s always been one of my favorites and I still have the book 🙂
July 17th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
The Vanishing Pumpkin! I remember coming over to your house when i was little and reading that book. It was my favorite.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Oooooooo…. I think this is one of my favorite posts of yours! And I agree with Sally G. “Why don’t you write books like this for adults?”
Well? Well? (I’m giving you a very pointed look here.)
“In our part of town, we breathed flavored air. Orange was pleasant; cherry and lime were hardly noticeable; mint was delicious – I could pretend I was smoking a menthol cigarette. But butterscotch was a hard flavor to breathe.” – Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth, by E.L. Konigsburg
My favorite childhood book.
July 17th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
There are so many to list! But here’s one from Tale of Two Cities:
“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”
July 17th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
i agree…..where have those books gone ?
i have so many lines i love, but can’t pull them to the surface….even now when i read, i underline words and sentences that speak to me and then i go back over them later and make notes in a notebook about them…..
i love books….but i love words more 🙂
July 20th, 2010 at 6:53 am
wait. you mean those books aren’t for adults?
p.s. can we do a cooper edens book for the TAL bookclub sometime? pleaaassseeee?
July 21st, 2010 at 6:08 pm
I just love the peaceful feeling of fire. Lovely capture! Part of the benefits of having kids is to get to read the great books for kids. 🙂
August 4th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
“reality is frequently inaccurate.” – from the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy
“unreality is a condition of life,” from andrei bitov’s pushkin house
neither one a children’s book, i guess, tho’ there are many of those i love…