The Lovers’ Chronicle 19 November – halcyon days – art by Eustache Le Sueur – photography by Louise Dahl-Wolfe

Dear Zazie, Here is today’s Lovers’ Chronicle from Mac Tag dedicated to his muse. Are these halcyon days for you? Rhett

The Lovers’ Chronicle

Dear Muse,

first song i thought of, “These are Days”
“These are days we’ll remember”
absolutely, i started writin’ about ’em
as though i had ’em and lost ’em
but that was just wishful writin’
i never did because i was never me
“You had to find yourself first”
yes, it was a major reclamation project
“Ha, but fortunately completed just in time”
right just in time for us

these are the days that will be looked upon as such, attendin’ to purpose, makin’ scenes or stories appear on the page, as is; outside on a cool fall day, fadin’ light, headed towards coucher de soleil (sunset), inside, glances exchanged with the beautiful redhead, now and then, the words flowin’, intent on gittin’ the right ones in the right order, confirmin’ all we hold

a these days scene from Avondale;
another lovely fall evenin’, clear skies
dark already, the end of a work week
windin’ down with cocktails for two
glance over at you, pretty as ever,
try to find the right words, right order,
to come close to describin’ these days

Pale Love, Pale Rider

you, in ways inspire
this verse, this vision,
this desire, come
that we may create
these days and we will
not want, nothin’s lost
that we cannot have,
we shall find wherever
we are, attendin’ to,
without fail the words
we long to say and hear,
to hold, not thrown away

open my eyes,
how can i sleep
when you lie near
were i with you
all night i could,
from need be free

alas, you are not
and sadly, i lie alone
unless you join me
in my dreams
then these nights
can go on

you shall find wherever you are
me all the while attendin’

“I would ask you,
if you could remain
emotionally detached.
But I don’t think
that is your problem, is it?”
nope

as much as i miss
those halcyon days,
facts have a nasty way
of bein’ facts

more like moments than days until now
unless the oblivious days are counted
talk of such in the past was wishful writin’

can be created startin’ now, if it exists
focus just needs to be here on this
that is all that can be done
the muses will sort it out

Inspired in oh, so many ways
These words, this vision, this desire
Dream with me so that we may cling
To those days we had long ago

Original lyrics for you and a song.

Halycon Days

Dear pretty muse, open your eyes,
How can I sleep when you lie near
Were I with you all night I could,
From sleep be free and never need
Alas, my dear, you are not near
And sadly, I must lie alone
Unless you join me, in my dreams
Then these days can go on and on

Halcyon days never endin’
You shall find wherever you sail
Me all the while attendin’
To and lovin’ you without fail

You, in infinite ways inspire
These words, this vision, this desire
Come with me so that we may cling
To these days we cherish and sing
For without this, without desire,
We will always want for love’s fire
Nothin’s lost that cannot be caught
Life without love, livin’ for naught

Halcyon days never endin’
You shall find wherever you sail
Me all the while attendin’
To and lovin’ you without fail

So come on Muse, please come away
In these days in this dream let’s stay,
Because this is Time’s holiday,
Sacred to hold, not thrown away
How can I convince you to say
You will come, now, with me today
Tell me we can find the right way
So come on Muse, please come away

Halcyon days never endin’
You shall find wherever you sail
Me all the while attendin’
To and lovin’ you without fail

The Song of the Day is “Halcyon Days” by Siobhán Donaghy

Today is the birthday of Eustache Le Sueur or Lesueur (Paris; 19 November 1617 – 30 April 1655 Paris); artist and one of the founders of the French Academy of Painting. He is known primarily for his paintings of religious subjects.

Gallery

Melpomène, Érato et Polymnie (vers 1652-1655), Paris, musée du Louvre

Bacchus and Ariadne c. 1640

Rape of Tamar, c. 1640

Les muses Clio Euterpe et Thalia

An Allegory of Poetry

meekness

Camma Offers the Poisoned Wedding Cup to Synorix in the Temple of Diana (c. 1644), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

And today is the birthday of Louise Dahl-Wolfe (Louise Emma Augusta Dahl; San Francisco; November 19, 1895 – December 11, 1989 Allendale, New Jersey); photographer. She is known primarily for her work for Harper’s Bazaar, in association with fashion editor Diana Vreeland.

Her first published photograph, titled Tennessee Mountain Woman, was published in Vanity Fair (U.S. magazine 1913–36). In 1928 she married the American sculptor Meyer Wolfe, who constructed the backgrounds of many of her photographs.

Among the celebrated fashion photographers of the 20th century, Louise Dahl-Wolfe was an innovator and influencer who significantly contributed to the fashion world. She was most widely known for her work with Harper’s Bazaar. Dahl-Wolfe was considered a pioneer of the ‘female gaze’ in the fashion industry. Dahl-Wolfe created the new image of American women during the world war II. They were strong and independent. Dahl-Wolfe often shot on location and outdoors, bringing her models out of the studio and to exotic locales such as Tunisia, Cuba and South America. Her models pose candidly, almost as if Dahl-Wolfe had just walked in on them. Dahl-Wolf innovatively used color in photography and mainly concerned with the qualities of natural lighting, composition, and balance. Her methodology in using natural sunlight and shooting outdoors became the industry standard even now.

Gallery