ATDTDA (17): blue columbines (480.33)

[Michael Lee Bailey]

Robin Williamson revived this old lyric, pertinent to Columbine

Fools Song

And can a physician make sick men well?
And can a magician a fortune divine?
Without lily, germander, and sops in wine?
With sweetbriar, and bonfire,
Strawberry--wire and columbine

Within and out, in and out, round as a ball
With hither and thither and straight as a line
With lily. germander. and sops in wine?
With sweetbriar, and bonfire,
Strawberry-wire and columbine

When Saturn did live there lived no poor
Beggars and kings on roots did dine
With lily, germander, and sops in wine
With sweetbriar, and bonfire,
Strawberry--wire and columbine

Words: Traditional English.
Music: Robin Williamson.
These words may originally have been performed by jesters at the Tudor court, c. 16th century.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tim Strzechowski [mailto:dedalus204 at comcast.net]
> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 04:35 AM
> To: pynchon-l at waste.org
> Subject: ATDTDA (17): blue columbines (480.33)
>
> [...] "And then later on," the girl's eyes as wide open as blue columbines in July, "somebody came in, said they really was a fire over there" (p. 480).
>
>
> Description: perennial, 24-36 inches tall; all leaves basal; bell-shaped. Columbine flowers are up to 3 inches wide, with long spurs (Blue Columbine mostly blue / single type). Blooms in zone 5 from May to mid-June.
>
> http://www.wildflowermix.com/info/180+common/columbine-blue.html
>
>
> Our Colorado state flower is the blue columbine. It has such a lovely form.
>
> http://imagesofcolorado.smugmug.com/gallery/1256497#18818561
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>
> The Colorado blue columbine (Aquilegia caerulea) is generally described as a Perennial Forb or herb. This Dicot (dicotyledon) is native to the U.S. (United States) and has its most active growth period in the Spring and Summer . The Colorado Blue Columbine has Green foliage and conspicuous Blue flowers, with conspicuous Brown fruits or seeds. The greatest bloom is usually observed in the Late Spring, with fruit and seed production starting in the Spring and continuing until Summer. Leaves are not retained year to year. The Colorado Blue Columbine has a Short life span relative to most other plant species and a Moderate growth rate. At maturity, the typical Colorado Blue Columbine will reach up to 2 feet high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 2 feet. [...]
>
> http://www.gardenguides.com/plants/plant.asp?symbol=AQCA2
>
>