Märchen (8)

MÄRCHEN (8)

'It felt like home, being here, and she raced through the days with their small ravishing routines, days the same, paced and organized but with a simultaneous wallow, uncentred, sometimes blank in places, days that moved so slow they ached.'

(DeLillo, The Body Artist, 32)

Mapping The Territory (8)

MAPPING THE TERRITORY (8)

'Don't look sore, my dear, there is nothing to fear.'

It appeared Mother Courage was back; sucking hard on a tube from her sack.

'Really, nothing's the matter. . . '

(As I coveted her catheter; a rather nice blue plastic Camelbak bladder.)

'You see,' she piped up:

'The sun has gone down and the moon has come up. The evening star's moved into place. Orion's upstanding, the Great Bear's reclining; such a comfort to stare into space.

'So what if one planet's out of place?'

I said:

'You're deluded,' then concluded (in a bid to be clear) 'you cannot ignore facts just to assuage your fears. You cannot turn your cheek to ensure a good view. Bad luck will endure, never mind what you do.'