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There's a lovely piece published today on the London Review of Books blog about Tom Verlaine and his books. I hope you will see it through this post or otherwise. https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2024/march/at-the-tom-verlaine-book-sale

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🌻🍂🐜🐌🦋🦖

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Patti - if you get a chance to see it, please check out the Hauser & Wirth gallery for the Charles Gaines exhibit called 'Southern Trees.' I believe it was inspired by Billie Holliday's Strange Fruit ... the paintings are incredible.

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founding

💚

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Feb 2, 2023·edited Feb 2, 2023

Dear All,

No doubt some of you already know about this, but I wanted to note that a recently discovered GREEN COMET ☄️ will be zipping by Earth for the first time in 50,000 years. It was last visible in the night sky during the Stone Age.

Discovered on March 2, 2022, by astronomers using the Zwicky Transient Facility's wide-field survey camera at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California, the comet made its closest approach to the sun on January 12, according to NASA.

Named C/2022 E3 (ZTF), the comet has an orbit around the sun that passes through the outer reaches of the solar system, which is why it's taken such a long route — and long time — to swing by Earth again, according to The Planetary Society.

According to reports, the icy celestial object will make its closest pass by Earth between February 1 and February 2, around 26 million miles to 27 million miles (42 million kilometers to 44 million kilometers) away, according to EarthSky.

Even during this closest approach, the comet will still be more than 100 times the moon's distance away from Earth, according to EarthSky.

As the comet nears Earth, observers will be able to spot it as a faint green smudge near the bright star Polaris, also called the North Star. Comets reflect different colors of light due to their current positions in orbit and chemical compositions.

Early morning skies, once the moon has set after midnight for those in the Northern Hemisphere, are optimal for viewing the comet. The space object will be more difficult to see for those in the Southern Hemisphere.

Depending on its brightness, C/2022 E3 (ZTF) may even be visible to the unaided eye in dark skies, but binoculars or a telescope will make the comet easier to see.

The comet can be distinguished from stars by its streaking tails of dust and energized particles, as well as the glowing green “coma” surrounding it.

Apparently, the green glow isn’t unique to this comet, although it is an interesting feature. The phenomenon is thought to arise from an interaction between light from the sun and diatomic carbon. Diatomic carbon is an unstable, gaseous form of the element in which carbon atoms are bonded together in pairs. Scientists say it is formed on the head of the comet when larger carbon-based substances are broken down by sunlight as the comet approaches the sun. When diatomic carbon is excited by ultraviolet rays, it gives off light, resulting in the green “coma” that has been seen surrounding the nucleus of the comet.

The coma is an envelope that forms around a comet as it passes close to the sun, causing its ice to sublimate, or turn directly to gas. This causes the comet to look fuzzy when observed through telescopes.However, ultraviolet light can also cause diatomic carbon to break down. This, experts say, explains why the tail of the comet is not green.

After passing by Earth, the comet will make its closest approach of Mars on February 10, according to EarthSky.

If clouds or inclement weather get in the way of skywatching, The Virtual Telescope Project will share a livestream of the comet in the skies above Rome. This is obviously difficult to see in the city, but I’m hoping that among this group -- far flung as we are around the planet -- some will get to see it and report back about it.

Patti, I hope that somehow the green comet makes its way into your poem, if only by inflection, if only invisibly. ☄️

With warmth to all,

Robin

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Feb 1, 2023·edited Feb 1, 2023

n'poem (now poem)

Patience is a pleasure

A gentle flowing river

A songbird's sweet notes

A sunray warming rocks for lizards

A deep breath sustained

Thank you, Patricia. You inspire me to keep rowing my lifeboat. And thank you so very much for your openess about grief. May you always be with love and peace.

🌳 🌹

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Yes I agree it’s truly a gift to grieve however Painful it is ... it’s a gift that returns again and again when we last expect it .. not linear ... if we don’t it catches up with us ever more powerfully ... thanks for sharing Patti and go gently during this time xx

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I float a grief leaf down the stream

Tears of my grief joining tears from the mountain

The sun kisses my face

The sky turns rosy like my cheeks

I breathe in the cacti filled air

I am consoled by nature

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Is the Green Door a reference to HGWells single ghost story? La Mur(de) Land of a Thousand dances, do I know them all yet? +1 ♾️ London you say in the recording, fading now....

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Do the what you see mind blowing to to an off stage showkid, listen to what makes you dance and confirm it. Tarantella for real sounds fun. This is Rock n Roll kids.... Confirmed.

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Shaman, Brahman, oh you lord of the dance kid, golden threads, Break it up is a perfect musical moment of experience every single time. 🎶 🎵 ✨️ 💛

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Just read your beautiful tribute in the New Yorker Patti.

What a wonderful friendship you had for so many years.

Thinking of you.

Take care of yourself.

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Hi subscribe me plez

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founding

Dear Patti,

Your piece in The New Yorker is beautiful. Such a fine encomium to “the boy who never grew up, aloft the Omega, a golden filament in the vibrant violet light.”

May your tales of “Arabian Nights” be never-ending, your shared luminance shine on, your perfect merging be immortal.

With light and love,

Robin

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When l heard the sad news my first thought was for you . So l am sending much love and hugs . I was privileged to see him play with Television in 1975, such an incredible musician and inspired many. He will live on through all the wonderful music and the love of his friends. RIP Tom 🖤

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I just read the New Yorker postscript. Thanks for telling us about your friend. It was beautiful. Sending strength, take good care.

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