February 2nd 07

I’m letting Mary out at 9pm and the moon is really bright. There’s this tiny star like a tear drop right under it. What’s really ‘cool’ as my niece would say, is that it starts to move around the moon in an anticlockwise direction. By 12.30 am it has moved to five minutes past the hour. I intend getting up later to see its crossing over the top of the moon, but I don’t wake.

February 15th.

I read ‘The House that Herman Built’, last night. Ever since, I’ve been trying to get my head around the solitary confinement space that Herman (Wallace) and Albert Woodfox existed in for 34 years. Solitary confinement at Angola consists of a minimum 23 hour day in a 6’ by 9’ cell. I measured my room when I woke up. Stretching, I can touch the ceiling, and if my arms were twice as long one way and two and a half time long the other way I can touch the walls on each side. And I have a window and a door. And at present a butterfly. He woke up about two weeks ago, confused at the sudden heat of the room – when I moved upstairs – outside the wind was howling and the rain lashing so I couldn’t let him out. Usually when butterflies awake from their winter hibernation they’re full of energy and eager to exit but it’s bitterly cold here again after the mild weather of 2 weeks ago, but not mild enough to let him out. So I bought some plants in the nursery and I made him a little artificial garden on the window sill – a hyacinth, a paper white – whose scent is very strong – and a geranium that had been snoozing for the winter too, but is now somewhat revived. I’m wondering right now where he spent the summer and spring last year, what flowers he visited and what made him fly in my bedroom window when the weather changed and he felt it was time to store up. He’s moving now spreading his wings, I’m not really too hopeful for him, still he’s warm and dry with no predators waiting to pounce. Wonder if tomorrow was a warmer day than today would he be happier if I opened the window and let him out.
I was thinking of the Lady of Shalott when I was reading Herman’s book. And her space. And Oscar Wilde’s in Reading Jail. And if the three sat down together how they would discuss the events that led them to such spaces.

February 22 07

Opened the window today. Watched as he flew over the field and into the greenery by the wall.