Thomas Lynch – Whence and Whither: Some Thoughts on Uteri, on Wombs, Radio 3
The Archers - Radio 4
Poet and undertaker Thomas Lynch has a lovely drawling delivery that is both solemn and intimate and witty. It suits his station in life. His was a one of series of essays devoted to the body organs.
Haven’t these people got day jobs? Never mind, it was a lovely ode to the uterus.
The womb is the “tabernacle of our expectations”, it is the seat bed and safe harbour and the “first home”, he said.
The womb is the place where “the temps are set, the rent is easy, the food is good, and we aren’t bothered by telephone or tax man.”
There was food for thought – the universal fate: “Every cradle asks us whence and every coffin whither... we are all children of the one mother and the same fate awaits us all.”
And there were a few gentle smiles along the way. His talk was a poem in itself – ending in true poetic style with what Lynch called “ the surest human rhymes of all - womb and tomb.”
The talk was one of a series staged at London’s Wellcome Collection Reading Room. Apparently it is well worth a visit and full of old medical contraptions... anyone for a scold’s bridle?
Rob Titchener is a man for a scold’s bridle. And yes, I’m a McCooeys kind of a girl, not an Ambridge addict, but all that went to hell with the Rob and Helen domestic violence storyline. I was hooked.
It was two and a half years of slow drip – Rob was pure poison dressed up as a rosy apple. He was advising his “darling” on her necklines, stealing her away from her mates and slowly, slowly winding around her like a giant boa constrictor choking the bleat out of a little lamb.
Sunday night started off with Helen’s key signature dish - tuna bake, an apple pie and custard - as you do for your husband before you tell him you’re leaving and taking child Henry too.
Never mind Helen, listener’s were left on a knife edge too... did Rob urge Helen to stab herself or dare her to kill him. Was he dead... worse luck, he wasn’t.
“Stab him again to make sure, Helen,” tweeted one listener.
“Will somebody please tell Helen to say nothing to the police without a legal representative,” tweeted another. I don’t know if I can face the court case.
