[In a barrel of soap, a pot of ale,
a bag in another bag—
where will God fit if his own purse
could have no change?]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 31 January 1659/60.
The day the music died
[My song died,
a note gone to ash.
My flageolette got an ague.
My shot harp sat
in a bed of nails.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Monday 30 January 1659/60.
Under the gun
[In the gun, an excellent doctrine of St. Peter.
I spur myself to be afraid,
to hear little,
and understand without going to see.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 29 January 1659/60.
Going to heaven
[I left my business, sent for my best fur cap,
went to Heaven and dined on a breast of mutton.
Happiness carried me in his coach.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Saturday 28 January 1659/60.
Retreat
[I took to a high
place and stayed
till I was forced by
a hole in my coat
to come home.
I almost wrote.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Friday 27 January 1659/60.
Larks
[I paid to free from a dinner dish
two dozen larks, a great company,
and all were merry.
They drank a bottle of wine, fell down,
and ate from my hand.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Thursday 26 January 1659/60.
Getaway
[I went by water to my father’s country,
crew buttery as lard, paper ship
to transport me and my tired work.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 25 January 1659/60.
Cut Up
[Where will I go
when we call one another mad,
pulling off bride’s and bridegroom’s ribbons,
fooling like mad five o’clock scissors
with my papers?]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 24 January 1659/60.
Game
[Down came the axe and found my head,
which made very pretty beef.
I stayed and played a dark stone,
being round and great.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Monday 23 January 1659/60.
Buckles to my shoes
[I sat with duty and guilt and shame,
a brother to the poor.
This day I began to put on buckles to my shoes.]
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 22 January 1659/60.