Category: On Culture

Art, music, books, poetry, fashion, dance, television… the products of our imaginations and the people who make them.

Cancer: A Self-portrait and a Poem
 I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,  in secret, between the shadow and the soul. I love you as the plant that never blooms but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers; thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance, risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body. Read […]
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June Horoscopes & Live Q&A
The month of June is upon us and I am glad to report a cuckoo in the garden and roses in bloom. Some tiny, furry Geminis are imminent too. Though my little queen cat’s impending motherhood has made her rather aloof, which is a pity. I’m digressing — but then it is Mercury [...]
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Gemini: A Self-portrait and a Poem
  I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass…. Read the rest of the poem here.   From Song of […]
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Venus in Gemini: Silver-tongued, Fleet of Foot
Venus is in Gemini for the next three weeks. The planet of beauty and grace in the sign of doubling, double-talk, double-quick, double lucky, double dip, double entendre… double bed, double dutch, double dates, double cross — better watch this on the double! Enjoy.  
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May Horoscopes
There’s an eventful, exciting month coming up, with an eclipse, an upcoming Mercury retrograde and, of course, Jupiter’s move into watery, wonderful Pisces. There’s much to think about. Members are cordially invited to a Q&A session on Sunday evening at 7.30 BST (British [...]
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Taurus: A Self-portrait and a Poem
The Afternoon Sun  …This room, how familiar it is. The couch was here, near the door, a Turkish carpet in front of it. Close by, the shelf with two yellow vases. On the right—no, opposite—a wardrobe with a mirror.  In the middle the table where he wrote, and the three big wicker chairs. Beside [...]
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The Benin Bronzes
Just after the Full Moon, on 18 February 1897, a British expeditionary force breached the great walls of the city of Benin, capital of one of the wealthiest kingdoms in West Africa.  An orgy of looting, murder and arson ensued. The city was razed, its priests were executed, and the Oba, the [...]
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Halston
After Roy Halston Frowicker died in San Francisco in 1990, the obituaries where cautious, muted, a little salty. Maybe it was because he’d lost his business, maybe it was because of the louche lifestyle, or maybe it was just because of the cruelty of fashion: by 1990, Halston was just so [...]
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Aries: A Self-portrait and a Poem
  You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Does my sassiness upset you?  Why are you beset with gloom?  ‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room… Read the rest of [...]
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Astrology of Now: The Green One
The Green One, al Khidr, may be a traveller or an angel, a sailor or a sage; he guards the sea, is a patron of poets and calligraphers, heals the sick, and as you can see above rides on the back of fish. He may come to your aid if you are drowning, heal your […]
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Venus in Pisces: The Little Mermaid
Venus, the goddess of love and harmony, art and laughter, dives into the deep waters of Pisces on February 25. Looking up people with Venus in Pisces, I noticed that Hans Christian Andersen, writer of fairytales, was born with this particular signature. Which set me thinking about his [...]
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Pisces: A Self-portrait and a Poem
Sea Breeze The flesh is sad, Alas! and I have read all the books. Let’s go! Far off. Let’s go! I sense that the birds, intoxicated, fly deep into unknown spume and sky! Nothing – not even old gardens mirrored by eyes – can restrain this heart that drenches itself in the sea, O nights, […]
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Amanda Gorman: On Fire
I was wondering how the Mars-Uranus conjunction — that fiery, combustible, dangerous pairing — would manifest on the day of the inauguration. And then Amanda Gorman, Youth Poet Laureate, stepped onto the platform and began to declaim. She looked fantastic, like a queen from a [...]
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Aquarius: A Self-portrait and a poem
  Patterns  I walk down the garden-paths,  And all the daffodils  Are blowing, and the bright blue squills.  I walk down the patterned garden-paths  In my stiff, brocaded gown.  With my powdered hair and jeweled fan,  I too am a rare  Pattern. As I wander down   The garden-paths.  My [...]
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Capricorn: A Self-Portrait and a Poem
For joy’s sake, from my hands For joy’s sake, from my hands, take some honey and some sun, as Persephone’s bees told us.   Not to be freed, the unmoored boat. Not to be heard, fur-booted shadows. Not to be silenced, life’s dark terrors. Now we only have kisses, dry and bristling like [...]
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Sagittarius: A Self-Portrait and a Poem
I Am Much Too Alone In This World  I am much too alone in this world, yet not alone     enough to truly consecrate the hour. I am much too small in this world, yet not small     enough  to be to you just object and thing,  dark and smart. I want my free will and want […]
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Halloween Special
The Full Moon on Halloween 2020 contains a zingy surprise. Now that may be grandma’s white teeth being a little longer and sharper than you thought, but it may be that the big bad wolf turns out to be a hirsute suitor. This is also the second Full Moon of October so gets the title of [...]
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Mister Rogers: The Opposite of Cynical
In Mister Rogers’ neighbourhood people are honest, your feelings are important, and you are special. Mister Rogers exuded goodness of heart, purity of intention and folksy wisdom. He was the opposite of cynical. I was tiny when I watched his show but I still remember how Mister Rogers [...]
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Scorpio: A Self-portrait and a Poem
Name, my Laura, name the whirl-compelling Bodies to unite in one blest whole– Name, my Laura, name the wondrous magic By which soul rejoins its kindred soul! See! it teaches yonder roving planets Round the sun to fly in endless race; And as children play around their mother, Checkered [...]
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Astrology of Now: Poised
When the Sun moves from the sign of Virgo into Libra (on September 22), we find ourselves at the halfway point of the year. Day and night are of equal length for a fleeting moment in perfect balance. The equinox opens the autumn season here in the North. Where I am, it is unusually warm […]
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