Eyewear's belief in the 2012 London Olympics has been totally vindicated, not least by Jonathan Freedland and Blake Morrison, both writing lyrically in today's Guardian. One of the greatest games ever held - and surely the fairest, with no teams boycotting and women represented as never before - it has showcased a bold, lively, upbeat, good Britain - filled with enthusiastic, celebratory people able to enjoy the successes of themselves and others. The nay-sayers are wrong about the Olympics, and always were - its ideals are real, as are its golden gifts. The Games inspire and reveal the best of ourselves - as competitors, as hosts and as audience. I am proud to live in London, and to be on track to get British citizenship. I have lived in London for 9 years now, and am happy to be here. British people, too often sold short by their media and their bankers and their politicians - have risen to the occasion, and vaulted over the establishment to make this a People's Games. The best of Britain is in its creativity, energy, sense of humour and fair play - and yes, its patriotism, its emotionality. Forget the stiff upper lip nonsense. The British laugh and cry with the best of them - we've seen it on the podiums. The British are human, wonderfully so, and, for the most part, wonderful. This Games has been one of the greatest moments of my life - for I have seen my new home come alive, as it does on hot sunny days, and also on days when snow falls enough to make snowmen. Long may we remember how good we can be, how joyous, how proud, how modest, how welcoming. How golden, and yes, sylvan, and bronzed.
THAT HANDSOME MAN A PERSONAL BRIEF REVIEW BY TODD SWIFT I could lie and claim Larkin, Yeats , or Dylan Thomas most excited me as a young poet, or even Pound or FT Prince - but the truth be told, it was Thom Gunn I first and most loved when I was young. Precisely, I fell in love with his first two collections, written under a formalist, Elizabethan ( Fulke Greville mainly), Yvor Winters triad of influences - uniquely fused with an interest in homerotica, pop culture ( Brando, Elvis , motorcycles). His best poem 'On The Move' is oddly presented here without the quote that began it usually - Man, you gotta go - which I loved. Gunn was - and remains - so thrilling, to me at least, because so odd. His elegance, poise, and intelligence is all about display, about surface - but the surface of a panther, who ripples with strength beneath the skin. With Gunn, you dressed to have sex. Or so I thought. Because I was queer (I maintain the right to lay claim to that
Comments