My mother was a farm wife and a prodigious canner. She canned fruit and vegetables from the garden, even occasionally meat. But the best thing that she canned, in my opinion, was blackberry jam. Even as I type those words my mouth waters! Of course, before she could make that jam, somebody had to pick the blackberries. And that somebody was quite often named Dorothy. I think Seamus Heaney might have spent some time among the briars plucking those delicious black fruits as well, so he would have known that "Once off the bush the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour." They don't keep; you have to get that jam made in a hurry! Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen. At first, just one, a glossy purple clot Among others, red, green, hard as a knot. You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust ...
Cartoonists are brilliant and as you say are able to capture the moment in so effective a manner.
ReplyDeleteThey make the issue explicit.
DeleteAll those who speak out in their own ways (including comedians, journalists and cartoonists) are people with courage.These cartoons speak truth. Now ordinary citizens, risking a government with facial recognition software and more, have joined this rank. Even five year olds wearing bunny hats....
ReplyDeleteWell said. I couldn't agree more.
DeleteCartoonists are so skilled at emphasising the salient points. Some cartoons carry so much detail, too. Political cartoonists are a necessity in a democracy.
ReplyDeleteI certainly rely on them to light the way.
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