i was sorting out papers in the studio

when I came across "the stuff of literature" by archy the cockroach. It remains one of my favourite pieces of writing and my poster of it (a gift from TC many years ago) travelled to Italy with me from NZ in one of the earlier "moving from NZ 20kgs at a time" trips. While searching for it on the web I got as far as this work, and hope I am not breaking copyright by reproducing it here. (You'll have to wait for "the stuff of literature"). After yesterday's post this seems apt:

archy protests

By Don Marquis, in "archys life of mehitabel," 1933


say comma boss comma capital
i apostrophe m getting tired of
being joshed about my
punctuation period capital t followed by
he idea seems to be
that capital i apostrophe m
ignorant where punctuation
is concerned period capital n followed by
o such thing semi
colon the fact is that
the mechanical exigencies of
the case prevent my use of
all the characters on the
typewriter keyboard period
capital i apostrophe m
doing the best capital
i can under difficulties semi colon
and capital i apostrophe m
grieved at the unkindness
of the criticism period please
consider that my name
is signed in small
caps period

archy period

(source: http://www.donmarquis.com/readingroom/archybooks/archyprotests.html)

To find more of this delightful work click here for the reading room index.

Today I am grateful for spring weather.