A BOOK IN TRANSFORMATION

Karel Vermeulen and his girl friend Vanessa gave me a splendid book on Antarctica (photos by Laurent Dick) for my 59th birthday.
I decided to work in this book and to leave it to them,
to return to them in the natural event of my death.
Karel is the eldest son of my brother Dirk.

The book reminded me of one of my favorite popsongs:
Antarctica starts here!

by John Cale (former member of The Velvet Underground) but his solo albums have always touched me on a much deeper level than the VU.
sorry Lou ...

Antarctica starts here


by JOHN CALE




The paranoid great movie queen
Sits idly fully armed
The powder and mascara there
A warning light for charm
We see her every movie night
The strong against the weak
The lines come out and struggle with
The empty voice that speaks

Her heart is oh so tired now
Of kindnesses gone by
Like broken glasses in a drain
Gone down but not well spent
The road from Barbary to here
She sold then stole right back
The vanity, insanity her hungry heart forgave
The fading bride's dull beauty grows
Just begging to be seen
Beneath the magic lights that reach from
Barbary to here

Her schoolhouse mind has windows now
Where handsome creatures come to watch
The anaesthetic wearing off
Antarctica starts here

JC