Hey there 🙂 

“Today’s (optional) prompt is to write a poem that, like “Dictionary Illustrations,” is inspired by a reference book. Locate a dictionary, thesaurus, or encyclopaedia, open it at random, and consider the two pages in front of you to be your inspirational playground for the day” [From the Global/National Poetry Writing Month’s site]

Pages 48 and 49 of Disney’s Wonderful World of Knowledge – Art Through The Ages (1973 edition) talk about Constantine and the impact he had on the Roman Empire and Christian art/architecture:

Byzantium became where Constantinople was –

Though Constantine himself

Had named it “New Rome”.

And Romans became Christians

Because he did;

And he did because she did (his mum).

An Eastern Roman Christian Empire

Un-‘barbaric’ now.

The Western lot then followed suit.

Hagia Sophia: a church begun by Constantine,

Breathtakingly Byzantine, but to the glory of one God.

(One can change in name, but never muffle art)

I have the whole set of these encyclopaedias, but when I reached into the awkward space of the cupboard I keep them in, with no detailed visual (as I was leaning over a low chest of drawers, and am short-sighted anyway…) it seemed fitting that the art volume should have fallen into my hand, after Easter Monday’s post.

My mum diligently bought the set for me book by book as she was determined that I should have them as a resource growing up.  I do use them with my own kids, for homework or to answer pressing questions of the moment, but it is a shame I have not flicked through them more over the years.  It is also sad that some of the ‘current’ information will be so different to what’s printed in the books.

It makes me think about the impact things like Brexit and extinction rates will have on how parts of information we take for granted now will be viewed even five years from now…and that’s not a thought-spiral this imaginative person wants to unleash, I assure you!

So I’ll scarper for now.  Take care everyone, and I’ll be back with (hopefully cheery?!) musings tomorrow 😉

[Pic is from here]

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