The Inward Park

Lord’s day. All this last night it had rained hard. My brother Tom came this morning the first time to see me, and I paid him all that I owe my father to this day. Afterwards I went out and looked into several churches, and so to my uncle Fenner’s, whither my wife was got before me, and we, my father and mother, and all the Joyces, and my aunt Bell, whom I had not seen many a year before. After dinner to White Hall (my wife to church with K. Joyce), where I find my Lord at home, and walked in the garden with him, he showing me all the respect that can be. I left him and went to walk in the Park, where great endeavouring to get into the inward Park, but could not get in; one man was basted by the keeper, for carrying some people over on his back through the water.
Afterwards to my Lord’s, where I staid and drank with Mr. Sheply, having first sent to get a pair of oars. It was the first time that ever I went by water on the Lord’s day. Home, and at night had a chapter read; and I read prayers out of the Common Prayer Book, the first time that ever I read prayers in this house. So to bed.

I look for joy and find a garden,
walk in the park endeavoring
to get into the inward park,
carry people over
through the common bed.


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 22 July 1660.

3 Replies to “The Inward Park”

  1. Hey, Dave. I’m ashamed to say your posts kind of got buried in the feed reader, and I haven’t seen any in a long time. That will change. Bumped into this today, glad to see you’re a Pepys Diary online fan too. I started reading it the first go-round part way through, and like you, was glad to see it come around again this year. Do you ever comment on the site? Pseudonym?
    Loved this poem, and I look forward to reading the new Pepys entry every day, and then coming here. rb

    1. Hi Arby. Thanks for the kind words. I’ve only commented on the diary once so far, under my real name (something related to brewing practices, I think). I feel sorry I wasn’t part of the commenting community the first time around, but it’s good to see some commenters adding value to the posts with additional annotations this time ’round.

      Due to the fact that I’m on a camping trip, the dailiness of my erasure project has suffered a bit, but though I’ve fallen behind, I haven’t skipped a day so far, and hope not to — we’ll see. Good to know you’re reading along!

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