To conclude my birthday celebrations, I decided to go on a pilgrimage.
Last night, I stayed up (attempting) to read The Wasteland. The Wasteland got me thinking of Chaucer and his Canterbury Tales. I mean, Canterbury is only a 30-minute train ride away...
Some of us who grew up in Singapore got very lucky at school. At Katong Convent, our principal and the nuns who were still teaching, loved, loved the arts and literature, so school days had a creative, theatrical slant. In that strange, "elite" humanities class at high school, we had native English teachers who drilled us in the greatest of British works, and the classics of the Western World. Quite honestly, I was never drawn to that sort of writing. In my heart, I wanted instead to hear the stories of my own people. I wanted to read the voices of Singapore, of Asia, and the overseas Asian diaspora.
I kind of got excited when I saw the Cathedral. I mean, look at it! The Mothership! I can't believe it actually exists, and that thousands have come since medieval times!
After that, we went on a boat tour around town, which we both enjoyed tremendously.
The boat man gave a very entertaining and enlightening commentary on the sights we saw, and put things in historical perspective. I recognized many of the things he talked about- Chaucer, Marlowe, Dr Faustus, Henry VIII, Huguenots, St Francis of Assisi. It was like being revisited by friendly ghosts from my youth.
But my mind kept drifting to my husband. I kept thinking of what he has repeatedly said to me since the very first moment we met- All I want is for you is to be happy, just be happy.
Finally, on the River Stour, in a city as old as time, I get it!
"Love will not be constrained by mastery./ When mast'ry comes, the god of love anon/ Beateth his wings, and farewell, he is gone./ Love is a thing as any spirit free." The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer
And, "Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily/ Life is but a dream."
No comments:
Post a Comment