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Good Morning rusty
Maybe this is the poem you thought of :-


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BLHrPrk3PkU

Snow,snow,thick thick snow........

Good morning, Rusty!
I had an early morning wake up call to a white world!
We are having (for us) some fairly serious snow!
About three inches as yet....more to come threatened.
My friend phoned to say he cannot get the car out.....we appear to be in a similar situation!
No park today!
Yes, you are correct about John Grierson - he was indeed considered to have coined the term "documentary".......
Sitting here surrounded by the white stuff, I have looked him up!
This originated from his review of Robert Flaherty's film Moana (1926)
Grierson wrote that it had 'documentary' value!
There seems to be somewhat of a mystery attached to Flaherty's film......he seemingly made a film over a twelve- month period of life in a village in Samoa........but when he got to the village, it was apparently "westernised"?
Dr Grierson describes the film as "docufiction"
I know no more than this, as i have only dabbled on the edge......
But I shall investigate further, and check this out properly later...............
So....what is happening at your end?



Hello, Jazzgirl
That was good a good rendering of WH Auden's poem
I liked the way the reading kept pace with the train.....
You might like to read this - some interesting information about the poet himself, the written words of the poem plus an explanation.
(You will note that the writer cannot spell "explanation"!)
http://educational-wealth.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/night-mail-poem-with-explaination.html

Hello Elle and rusty
We studied Auden's poem at college so I am well up on that.
However, in my ignorance, I cannot recall seeing or hearing of John Grierson...... sorry.....but have just read the Wikipedia article. Maybe he was more prominent on Scottish television.

Stay safe

Good morning, Jazzgirl!
Yes, that is the poem and film!
I do not think I was quite correct, on reflection, on Grierson's signing off.
I think it was "And now, to my friends in the Highlands, the Lowlands, and over the Border, I bid you good night",...I think!
Heavy snow here too, and very windy!

Good morning, Elle!
Heavy snow with us, too, and very windy!
Not sure whether to venture out, after, or not!
But, I will leave the car at home!
If you have ever heard Bill McLaren doing rugby commentaries, well that was what Dr John Grierson sounded like!
Very Scottish!
He worked a lot in Canada, too, but is known up here for "This Wonderful World", a series made by Scottish Television which ran for several years.
I do not know if it was shown in England, though.
It was very good indeed.
I was surprised to learn that he coined the word "documentary".
It seems to have been around for ever!

A fresh thought, Jazzgirl and Elle!
I suspect "This Wonderful World" may have been shown in England too, going by the way Dr Grierson signed off every week, including his friends "over the Border"?
Just a thought!

rusty, maybe I am having another brain fade and something will come to mind regarding Dr Grierson. I intend to keep moving today as sitting at the laptop is not good for the circulation in this extremely cold weather. A few exercises to warm up........touch toes 25 times to start.....

Hello, Jazzgirl!
I think John Grierson is largely forgotten nowadays.
I believe there is a John Grierson archive at Stirling University.
However the series "This Wonderful World" has not survived intact.
Either not recorded, lost, or just discarded.
A pity, it was one of the highlights of the week way back then, for me, anyway.

Hi, Rusty!
Have you made a decision regarding going out for your paper ?
If you do decide to venture forth , be very careful under foot......
It is very slippery indeed here.
The fresh snow fell on already established ice.......
I have done most of my household chores already... a plus, I guess, to offset the general downside of not going out with the dog!
I miss the fresh air and brisk exercise - although dog and I have had a long(ish) play spell in the garden.
No, there is not a lot to be found from Googling Dr. G is there?
This "Moana docufiction" from 1926 sounds interesting.....
I already have my crosswords from John, so may have a quick shifty......well ahead of my normal schedule!
I need a strong coffee first.



Hello again, Jazzgirl!
Are you there ...or prone on the floor from your first "toe- touching" effort?
I did not realise you would have studied Auden at college....
Sorry, sending you that link was obviously like carrying coals to Newcastle!
Yes, you too be careful when /if you venture outdoors.
I went out on tiptoes........

Hello Elle
"Studied" is not quite correct; I should have said "had fun with" as it was one of our tutors, Mr K who took the drama and music group outside the curriculum. He was such an enthusiast of Auden, Betjeman and Peter Sellers ! He was a good pianist and also liked jazz. A great fellow
Our music teacher at school was also fun. . She was "Dotty" by name ( Dorothy) and by nature, but taught us to write music and played records. I remember Dukas (which came up in a crossword recently) and Saint Saens Dance Macabre both of which we had to illustrate in her art class.
The maths and history teachers were both a complete bore ;) so that is why I am useless at both.
Birdbath was frozen solid, but now filled with warm water and the starlings are having fun splashing about in it.
I may look in in another hour.
I bet my car won't start today