Boston, Pt. II

Abbreviation will be necessary, as I'm in rehearsal with lots to report from Maine. Not wanting to neglect what I began...

The end of Boston, visa visit:

- The Boston Public Library, in addition to its travel poster collection (see below), is currently featuring street photography by Jules Aarons, an internationally known BU physicist whose black and white scenes were similarly acclaimed. Check 'em out (I lack time to find and post, but I'll add later if a sudden windfall gives me hours).

- Dioramas of artists in the Wiggins Room at the BPL. Those of Muirhead Bone (what a name!) and his Manhattan Excavation and James Mebey (Dawn: The Canal Patrol Setting Out) are gorgeous. The concept is inserting artists into the settings they made famous. M.B. is placed in such a way as to make the excavation workers look like Lilliputians.

- A little girl (4?) in the wading pool. The other kids were outfitted in bright bathing suits. She didn't have one, and was in her underwear and a gold cross necklace. Her dad was taking pictures as she splashed. A little girl ran over her mother to point out the "naked" girl -- "she's just got underwear!" Other child deeply upset, as of impropriety. When did little kids get a sense that nudity was shameful? Of course she's not wearing anything, she's a baby! The old "if you're covering something, there's something to cover." But there isn't. Just a little girl. It made me sad.

- Old South Church: an historic site, opposite the BPL. Jazz services Thursdays, "The Garden of Eden" providing vegetables to weekly lunches for homeless mothers. I sat in the cool and read the stones on the wall (from 1600s).

- Sargent murals, recently restored, depicting the Judeo-Christian history, pagan gods, sacraments, resurrection. Someday I'll post notes as given at the library. Fascinating symbolism and image. The chaos panels were far more compelling in richness of color and movement than the resurrection panel, which must be what little children see (or grown-ups) when they imagine being bored in heaven. The prophets and Mother Mary - ornate and compelling, steeped in Catholic ritual.

- Lowbrow: 15 cent York patties continued to pay the parking meter while I splashed around and sat by the tortoise and hare statues in Trinity Square. I thought about going to Wendy's. Instead, recognized that time had come to speed out of town by St. James Rd. Straight shot to 90, spilled lime Polar water all over my lap, felt sophisticated.

Gee, I'm growing up.