All That Shines

Loren Beven, Razzle Dazzle, 2008

Kōh-i Nūr  'Mountain of Light', once the largest known diamond in the world, belonged to various Hindu, Mughal, Persian, Afghan, Sikh and British rulers who fought bitterly over it.  It was finally seized by the East India Company and given to Queen Victoria when she was proclaimed Empress of India.  A shirt, intended for the afterlife, shimmering with gold sequins made of thinly rolled gold, was found in the antechamber of Tutenkhamen's splendid tomb.

There are alternatives to glittering other than donning a diamond, sparkling spoil of war, or waiting for heaven. Karl Largerfeld's SS09 sequin dress for Chanel comes in black, Christian Dior's 2010 RTW shimmer dress in silver,  Ocabini's hand woven cashmere shimmer scarves in both. Shimmering: moving, shining, light dancing on water.

The glittering

Beneath

the panoply of the bandstand

summer burns still

slanting long fingers that reach

from the ramparts and

hoodwink the season

Poseidon, lugubrious

idles time forgetful

whilst diamonds from dew, a spider

spins the glittering

binds and lulls the current

Subdued by the sun

the clouds furrow brow, submit to

late vermillion.

The sea shifts to autumn

boats float less often

...and then the stars come out...




poem by kind permission of The Divorcee Dares to Dream