IN ORDER TO OBSERVE MAY DAY
WHERE ALL'S ACCUSTOMED, CEREMONIOUS
In times of international distress . . .
"Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world.
All things break, and all things can be mended.
Not with time, as they say, but with intention.
So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally.
The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you."
~ L.R. Knost ~
Smack dab in the tentative middle of a pandemic, May Day falls this year on a Friday, not a Sunday. However, the sun is shining for the first time in three days, and the following lines from Yury Olesha's novel Envy seem perfect for the occasion:
of which no more than ten are enumerated
in the monuments of meteorological science,
on a Sunday, when the breeze was so nice and caressing
that one felt like tying a blue ribbon around it . . . " (61)
***************
With it's focus on life and work in a Moscow sausage factory,
perhaps this poetic, satiric novel is even more fitting if you
are one to observe a traditional Soviet May Day.
See Envy (1927)
By Yuri Olesha (1899 - 1960)
Translated ~ T. S. Berczynski
Olesha's lovely description of a perfect day in May reminds me of that uplifting yet bittersweet song from the musical Oliver. In both the novel and the song, the day is oh so rare -- Olesha says "no more than ten" and Oliver says "it could not happen twice" -- and tied up with a ribbon, as a priceless gift or perhaps for safekeeping:
Who Will Buy?
Rose Seller & Strawberry Vendor & Milkmaid:
Who will buy my sweet red roses?
Two blooms for a penny.
Who will buy my sweet red roses?
Two blooms for a penny.
Will you buy any milk today, mistress?
Any milk today, mistress?
Who will buy my sweet red roses?
Any milk today, mistress?
Two blooms for a penny.
Ripe strawberries, ripe!
Ripe strawberries, ripe!
Ripe strawberries, ripe!
Any milk today, mistress?
Who will buy my sweet red roses?
Knife Grinder:
Knives, knives to grind!
Any knives to grind?
Knives, knives to grind!
Any knives to grind?
Who will buy?
Who will buy?
Who will buy?
Who will buy?
Oliver:
Who will buy this wonderful morning?
Such a sky you never did see
Who will tie it up with a ribbon?
And put it in a box for me
So I could see it at my leisure
Whenever things go wrong
And keep it as a treasure
To last my whole life long
Who will buy this wonderful feeling?
I'm so high I swear I could fly
Me oh my, I don't want to lose it
So what am I to do to keep this sky so blue?
There must be someone who will buy.
Oliver & Chorus
Who will buy this wonderful morning?
Such a sky you never did see!
Who will tie it up with a ribbon?
And put it in a box for me
There'll never be a day so sunny
It could not happen twice
Where is the man with all the money?
It's cheap at half the price
Who will buy this wonderful feeling?
I'm so high I swear I could fly
Me oh my, I don't want to lose it
So what am I to do to keep the sky so blue?
There must be someone who will buy
Lyrics & Music by Lionel Bart (1930 - 1999)
And of course no May Day is complete
without memories of running up
to a kindly neighbor's front door . . .
. . . and leaving a surprise delivery
of freshly picked lilacs from the yard!
Previous May Day Posts
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Next Fortnightly Post
Thursday, May 14th
Between now and then, read
THE QUOTIDIAN KIT
my shorter, almost daily blog posts
www.dailykitticarriker.blogspot.com
Looking for a good book? Try
KITTI'S LIST
my running list of recent reading
www.kittislist.blogspot.com
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