Douglas Mercer
October 1 2024
The television show The Waltons (1972-1981) was a depression era drama; at the end of each show the creators had a corny set piece where each member of the family bid one another good night throughout the house as the lights went out.
Ophelia mad knew it: come my coach! good night, ladies, good night. Sweet ladies, good night, good night.
Eliot picks up the Shakspearian rag:
Hurry up please it's time
Good night Bill
Good Night Lou
Good night May
Good Night
Ta Ta
Ta Ta
Good night, good night
Goodnight, ladies
Goodnight sweet ladies
Good night
Good night
In letters to his children James Joyce was fond of picking up the theme as a way of signing off: Goodnight dear children. Nightynight everybody. Night Night.
Now it's time to say
Good night
Sleep tight
Dream sweet
Dreams
Good night
Now the moon
Begins to shine
Good night
Everybody
Everywhere
Good night
It's closing time
It will be a night to remember
The band begins at ten to six
Don't be late!
We guarantee everyone that that our performance will be second to none
***
Notes:
To turn into a pumpkin is an English Idiom meaning to have to return home or go to bed due to the late hour of the night. Usually used as a present participle, the phrase is a reference to the story of Cinderella, whose magic carriage (coach) turned into a pumpkin at midnight.
At twelve o'clock
A Meeting
For a seance
In the Dark
The voices
Put on specially
By the children
For a lark
It is now the very witching hour of night
When churchyards yawn and hell itself
Breathes out contagion to the world
Hurry up please---it's time
A Night At The Opera
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Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 6929
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
-
Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 6929
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
-
Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 6929
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
