Mern Þonke

I won't make a habit of writing two entries on one day, but I thought it would be nice to get in some comment that reflects my intentions for starting this web log. In the past couple of days I've been agonising over world politics and got a sudden desire to re-read Tony Harrison's poem 'Initial Illumination', with its reference to George Bush's bandying of the word of God and him bombing of Baghdad. Although the reference is to the elder George Bush, the poem applies equally well to the younger. On a whim, I went to the home page of my medieval literature web site and replaced Matthew Paris's illustration of the coronation of King Arthur with the initial illumination (beginning 'In principio...') from the eighth-century Northumbrian Gospel according to St John. I then copied Harrison's poem below. Those who might like to see it can go to my medieval literature web page, though I don't know how long I'll keep the image and poem up.