Currently anything I put on my head is entirely football related: a faded tangerine baseball cap bearing the legend 'We are Premier League ' (fond memories), for sunny days on the terraces or the beach, and a similarly coloured 'Seasiders' beanie for wintry Saturday afternoons spent supporting the team.
The only other observation I feel qualified to make about hats is that ladies seem to wear extravagantly eye-catching ones for special occasions like weddings and days at the races. So I went online, on a mission to find images of 'extravagantly eye-catching hats', and this old Edwardian photograph below was one of the more arresting. I have no idea of its provenance, but on the tenuous basis that a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope it will stand in lieu of everything I don't have to say on the subject. It's certainly a splendid hat. 😉
The only other observation I feel qualified to make about hats is that ladies seem to wear extravagantly eye-catching ones for special occasions like weddings and days at the races. So I went online, on a mission to find images of 'extravagantly eye-catching hats', and this old Edwardian photograph below was one of the more arresting. I have no idea of its provenance, but on the tenuous basis that a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope it will stand in lieu of everything I don't have to say on the subject. It's certainly a splendid hat. 😉
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| In what posture... |
Having recently re-read James Joyce's 'Ulysses ', I could easily imagine the photograph to be a portrait of Molly Bloom. She was (fictively) born in Gibraltar in 1870, the daughter of Major Tweedy, an Irish military officer, and one Lunita Laredo, a Spanish Gibraltarian. Molly was married at eighteen (less than happily) to Leopold Bloom, could sing opera, and had a daughter Milly, who left home aged fifteen to study photography, but unlike her classical counterpart (Penelope), she had no intention of remaining faithful to her husband.
Inspired (if that's the right word) by the final 'chapter', of 'Ulysses ' (known generally as Molly's Soliloquy), I've used the tenor of those sixty-odd pages of bedroom ruminations to create a mood-piece precis of sorts in this seasonal acrostic monologue poem. You're welcome (though it's not meant to save you the effort or pleasure of reading the original).
Molly's Bedsprung Longing (Bloom In May)
Breast heaving with the thought of it, and these
Lungs on me capable of raising the roof, feeling
Oysterous though there's no Roger in the month.
O the pity, the waste and the want of it. Mercies
Molly, what are you like? No better than you are
Is what. Unpicked and wicked for a frisking with
No thought beyond giving or taking of pleasure.
Midnight musings in this frusty marriage bed as
A shaft of May's moon pierces the Dublin gloom.
Yes, you're still young, vital and shining for love.
As a musical bonus, since I feel I've short-changed you somewhat, if you have ten minutes to spare you might like to give this sublimely rolling blues workout from Quicksilver Messenger Service a listen. I choose it for no better or worse reason than its appropriate title: The Hat
Thanks for reading, S ;-)
70 comments:
What a challenging stare 'Molly' has. I'm wondering what the colour is of her magnificent headwear.
Enjoyed the poem - fits the photo :)
You have a wonderful way with words.
A bold move, la! 👍
The hat's amazing and I think the poem is brilliant. Well done.
Oh dear! Any excuse to look at a woman's hat.
"Oysterous though there's no Roger in the month" - what a sublime line. And QMS as a bonus from my favorite album of theirs.
I must admit I've never read Ulysses. I know it's a towering achievement etc but it's just so damned long (900+ pages). Shame on me, but hats off to you.
A fun blog, an arresting photo as you say, and a clever acrostic pome ;)
Is this a cunning ploy to lure us into reading James Joyce? If only I had the time. However, I do love your poem.
She's got a lot of front! (Jealous, me?)
Hey Steve. You prompted me to give a play to 'Baxters' and Grace Slick's 'Rejoyce'. Such a great song. I read 'Ulysses' back in '68 as a direct result of listening to the Airplane.
That is some hat! I've not read James Joyce but I love what you've done in your clever poem. 🤎
God yes, school caps. The revolution stared there! (LOL) Your blogs are always a stimulating read, this no exception. Well done with the Mollie Bloom poem, but just one query. My memory is hazy on the subject (50 years down the road) but wasn't it set on a day in June, not May?
Never read Ulysses. Worth a shot, do you think? The 'modern novel' that's a hundred years old now. Funny old thought. But I liked the idea for and execution of the poem. That middle couplet is a killer.
Certainly extravagantly eye-catching! And Molly's Bedsprung Longing is an appropriate title for your clever acrostic poem. 👍 P.S. Loved the musical bonus, but wondered why you didn't use the Airplane's "Rejoyce".
I love the hat she's wearing. I've not read any JJ but well done with the poem.
No apology required Steve. Another fine blog and monologue.👏
That's a cracker! 👍
Eye-opening. I only know Ulysses by reputation. Is it anything to do with your beloved Greeks? Well done with the clever poem.
Whoever the Edwardian glamour girl was, she was certainly imposing. I love the hat and the poem.
Yes, my eyes were drawn first to the hat (LOL). I loved the blog and I thank you for the precis poem, never having read Joyce - though who knows now...
Only Rees-Mogg still wears a topper (allegedly). Great blog Steve, and "unpicked and wicked for a frisking..." is one hell of a phrase.
IIRC Leopold Bloom did carry a photograph of his wife in full bloom which he showed to Stephen Dedalus. I might re-read Ulysses one day, like if we have another lockdown! A Panama hat is my summer headgear of choice these days.
Not just an excuse for a semi-naked woman then! Seriously, I did like the blog and poem, and it's good to read that you're wearing your proletarian credentials on your head.
I thought the poem about Molly Bloom was very good. I tried to read Ulysses once but never finished it. Maybe I'll try to read it again one day.
Very good that. I feel James Joyce is out of my league, could never get the gist of his writing. Your poem is good though. I like "frusty marriage bed".
Very good. Re-reading Ulysses? I'm impressed. I gave up on the first attempt, though I have heard Molly's soliloquy as a spoken piece.
Is that what you would call a bonnet? It's certainly an impressive piece of kit.
Correct, Brian Cassell. And here's the paragraph from Ulysses where Bloom shows Dedalus the photo of Molly from his pocketbook:
"Stephen, obviously addressed, looked down on the photo showing a large sized lady, with her fleshy charms on evidence in an open fashion, as she was in the full bloom of womanhood, in evening dress cut ostentatiously low for the occasion to give a liberal display of breasts, her full lips parted, and some perfect teeth, standing near, ostensibly with gravity, a piano, on the rest of which was 'In Old Madrid, a ballad, pretty in its way, which was then all the vogue. Her (the lady's) eyes, dark, large, looked at Stephen, about to smile about something to be admired, Lafayette of Westmoreland Street, Dublin's premier photographic artist, being responsible for the esthetic execution."
You'll understand why I made the connection.
You've certainly squeezed some mileage out of the Hat theme! Well done with the Molly monologue. I'm certain Joyce would have approved. I seem to remember he enjoyed acrostic poems.
I've never stepped up to Joyce, always been put off by the impression that they are difficult reads (not just long ones). Time for me to reassess perhaps. I like what you've done here with the photograph and the poem.
Brilliant! I loved it (and never mind that I haven't read Ulysses and probably never shall). ❤️
Aside from the blog and poem (both really enjoyed), thank you for introducing me to Quicksilver Messenger Service. I loved The Hat and will now be following up on some of their other songs. I suppose nearly everything is available on YouTube these days. Cheers.
Chapeau! as we hipsters say. That was terrific Steve.
Very fetching Edwardian exotica. As someone noted, the photograph fits your clever poem well. 👍
What a joy(ce) of a blog.
Well done. I love 'Molly's' hat and I enjoyed your acrostic love/lust poem.
Jolly good Mollyloquy. 👏
There is a lot to like there.
Happy Bloomsday! An enjoyable read but a question: May in Bloom? Surely June. Time out of joint there?
Loved that this was supposed to be about hats but wasn't (except for the photograph). It probably won't entice me to read Ulysses (hours in the day) but you've made a super poem out of it. ❤️
An inspiring read. Loved the comments too. So yesterday was Bloomsday? How amazing. I've never read any James Joyce but am tempted. It's a great acrostic poem.
Interesting blog. The girl in the photo has a hint of Natalie Wood about her. I've read and enjoyed some of Joyce's poetry (Chamber Music and Pomes Penyeach) but for some reason have never tackled Ulysses of Finnegans Wake. Well done with the monologue poem.
And how we hated those bloody caps! But you were always tops at English ;)
She's bonny in a bonnet. I've no read any Joyce so thanks for the insight and the acrostic poem.
Amusing and delightful blogging and I love your Molly Bloom poem.
Hang on to your hat (the Blackpool 'premier league' one) as it will be a long time before those will be made again! (LOL) I so enjoyed this, written with humour and style, and now I don't have to read Ulysses either. Terrific job Steve.
Nice job that. A thoroughly enjoyable read. As the man himself said: "The splendid proportions of hips, bosom." The 'Mollyloquy (clever, whoever called it that) rings true. Well done Steve.👏
Congratulations. One of the most enjoyable blogs I've read in a while.
Funny, sweet and (surprisingly) sexy. I love the acrostic poem.
I've not read the book but I saw the film 'Bloom' about 15 years ago with Angeline Ball as Molly and Stephen Rea as Leopold. I enjoyed your poem.
I love an acrostic poem. 😉
Such seductive prose and poetry (not to mention the 'hat' photograph)!
I've not read Ulysses but that's quite some poem.
I always understood it was Bloom in June, but hey, Molly in May is pretty good too and I love what you've done with your acrostic poem. 🩷
Ha ha. I was expecting to read about hats. But who doesn't like a young lady falling out of her clothes in a tasteful old-world sort of pose? And the bonnet is rather fine. I've never read any James Joyce (he's supposed to be difficult) but I do like your poem.
That's a sweet little number. The hat I mean. Ulysses will always be a book too far for me but thanks for your well-intentioned and well-written effort.
"Oysterous" is brilliant, worthy of Joyce himself!
I recently saw a sign in a bookshop warning "Shoplifters will be made to read Ulysses." Quite witty I thought. Sorry I've never read it myself. I have seen the movie with the excellent Stephen Rea as Bloom and Angeline Ball as Molly. Your clever acrostic works well and is suited to the photograph of your sultry adulteress. Hats off to you!
An excellent and enjoyable read. Thank you sir.
Thank you for this, a great read. I'm bookmarking your blog site.
I love the hat and the poem and I don't suppose I will ever read Ulysses - so thank you.
Amusing, entertaining, informative and seductive post. Loved it.
Very good. I feel I don't need to read Ulysses now. Thanks for the QMS link as well, a fine song.
I discovered your post quite by accident (looking for fedoras as it happens - seems to be a key word) but I've thoroughly enjoyed it. James Joyce is a bit challenging for me, but this was very interesting and wittily written. So thank you. PS It made me think of a scene from a nineties TV drama Harnessing Peacocks. I retain a vision of Serena Scott Thomas standing naked wearing just a red hat.
Great blog sir. Thank you much. In my grandparents' time nearly everyone wore hats. Why did it stop?
One word - sultry! 👏
I tip mine to you! This was a great read. I tried to read Ulysses once because of Grace Slick/Rejoyce but didn't get very far. I love the photograph and the clever acrostic poem and that Quicksilver song is the best.
That Joyce was a bit of rogue. I enjoyed your post, the acrostic poem and that wench falling out of her clothes. Oh yes, and the hat.
This was an unexpected delight. I've not read a word of James Joyce but I have a thing about hats. I really enjoyed your post.
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