Frank Corcoran

Irish Composer

GOOD MEDIEVAL FUN

Old Latin poem:

” Non fui. Fui. Non sum. Non curo. ”

That’s what he chiselled on the tombstone . ( Was he still alive during this activity ‘s what I’d just like to know…. ? – Lying even as he chiselled ? As he lay there ? )

His disembodied voice from the grave then claims ” Non Sum ” – so why should I believe then his blythe ” Non Curo” , I ask myself .
No answer because ” Fui” ( therefore “Non sum ” ? Correct ? )

Only then he boasts ” Non sum ! ” , so

his next line, his last line’s ” Non curo” has just lost him every atom of respect, belief, even of being an interesting tease – we are tempted to react with our own ” Non curo , CULO ! ” .

After all we can all try asserting ” Non fui”
so what’s great about that ?

That out of
his ( bleated ) ” Non fui” emerges his ( bloated ) ” Fui “.
Ever heard of Miss non Sequitur, wise guy ? And how prove that ” Non curo” is not an empty boast ? His grave not empty ? His swan’s song all ended ?
And yet. And yet. His grave ( ouch !) courage , his challenge hurled at Who ?
These three Promethean syllables have something grave (ouch ! again )

– Their ” 0 ” and ” u ” and their ” oo ” .
Yes, that’s it.

Vocal music. . Grave music.

Now suppose he’d got more poetic symmetry into his sepulchral poem ? – like eg.

” Non fui. Fui. Non sum. Sum. Non curo. Curo. ” – Or some other such fun ? eg.

” Non fui. Sum. Non sum. Curo. ”

More later….

Posted under: Humble Hamburg Musings

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