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27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

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Re: 27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

#11

that sounds like very much the way I'd like to go.

"There are two things you need to know," she said. "The first is that Gavin came home yesterday happier than I have seen him in a long time. The second - and you are not to feel bad about this - is that he died this morning." For some reason that strikes me as the most moving thing I have read in a long time.

Speaking of moving things, the poem about a convalescent cat actually made me tear up a bit (I have a 17 year old convalescent cat):

https://poetryarchive.org/poem/14-year-old-convalescent-cat-...

Re: 27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

#12
Here is a good one;

Office friends by Gavin Ewart

Eve is madly in love with Hugh

And Hugh is keen on Jim.

Charles is in love with very few

And few are in love with him.

Myra sits typing notes of love

With romantic pianist’s fingers.

Dick turns his eyes to the heavens above

Where Fran’s divine perfume lingers.

Nicky is rolling eyes and tits

And flaunting her wiggly walk.

Everybody is thrilled to bits

By Clive’s suggestive talk.

Sex suppressed will go berserk,

But it keeps us all alive.

It’s a wonderful change from wives and work

And it ends at half past five.

Re: 27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

#13
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Dying in your sleep, having been fed a good meal with good company, at a seasoned old age with your wife by your side is as good as anyone can dream of.

"as anyone can dream of" Viking warriors and co would probably disagree. Not the gloriest way to Valhalla.. (personally I rather care how good I live, than how I die)

There's probably a point in life at which the relative importance of those concerns changes for you.

Re: 27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

#15
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Dying in your sleep, having been fed a good meal with good company, at a seasoned old age with your wife by your side is as good as anyone can dream of.

"as anyone can dream of" Viking warriors and co would probably disagree. Not the gloriest way to Valhalla.. (personally I rather care how good I live, than how I die)

I don't think you're necessarily talking about different things. I mean sure at the moment you take your last breath it doesn't really matter. But it sounds like this guy lived well into his late 70s with a partner, a social life and the means to enjoy retirement. That's clearly preferable to contracting some kind of cancer in your 50s, suffering emotionally and physically (and, in places like the US, financially I guess) for years before dying.

It's not something I like to think about or dwell on, however, and being overly focussed how you might die is not the best way to spend your precious time on this earth

Re: 27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

#18
Why does the article open with speculating that it might be the most expensive lunch ever. It even ends the first paragraph making it clear that it means expensive as in "final bill to the restaurant" and not a broader "loss to humanity". And what does the fact that menus weren't printed until 2003 have to do with discerning if this was an expensive bill or not?

Re: 27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

#19

Why does the article open with speculating that it might be the most expensive lunch ever. It even ends the first paragraph making it clear that it means expensive as in "final bill to the restaurant" and not a broader "loss to humanity". And what does the fact that menus weren't printed until 2003 have to do with discerning if this was an expensive bill or not?

I'm guessing that the FT has a long standing regular lunch interview column, which has included for the last two decades (but not previously) a record of what was consumed during said lunch.

Re: 27 years since the Financial Times killed one of England’s finest poets

#20

Threaded: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1584116278150602752.html >

What is the point of this website? I see it often but doesn't Twitter and Nitter etc automatically provide this functionality? Genuine question.
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