The Purdzilla Show

  Photo by Derek Lynn on Unsplash

T he fairy palaces burst into illumination, before pale morning showed the monstrous serpents of smoke trailing themselves over Coketown. A clattering of clogs upon the pavement; a rapid ringing of bells; and all the melancholy mad elephants, polished and oiled up for the day's monotomy, were at there heavy exercise again. Charles Dickens ( Hard Times )

  Photo by Jakayla Toney on Unsplash

I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all. St. Brigid of Ireland (c.451-525)

Photo by Kajetan Sumila on Unsplash T he snowflakes were sifting thickly down through a cone of blue light over the doorway to the public baths, and a deep, fluffy white carpet lay on the sidewalk, glittering as though sprinkled with tiny diamonds. Josef Skvorecky (in The Swell Season )

I was sitting on the bench under the diving board pretending to watch the people in the pool. The water was green and transparent and tiny shadows flittered thickly across the milky glass in the high windows - it was snowing outside and the lamps in the passage cast shadows from the snowflakes onto the glass. Josef Skvorecky (in The Swell Season )