I made that poem central to the theme of my "new" novel, "Covid-1984, The Musical." (It's been siting on an editor's desk at Skyhorse Publishing with no no forthcoming for nine months now, and no yes either.) I'm starting to get antsy about that fact. I can't imagine who else would publish it. So, if I may, let me share my Percy bit in your comments section.
In my novel, Winston is working for Octopus (their digital book division) at the NYPL digitizing (and eventually memory-holing) great works.
After returning to New York..., I managed to get a gig in the Casaubon collection at the NYPL, which preserves the work of Percy Shelley—the most radical of Romantics and a political revolutionary—and some manuscripts relating to his more popular wife, gothic novelist Mary Shelley, of Doctor Frankenstein fame, as well as the papers of her father, universal suffragist and direct democracy advocate, William Godwin, and of her mother, first feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft. What a family.
Percy is credited with the thoughtcrime of peaceful civil disobedience later copied by Thoreau, Gandhi and MLK. ... I’ve had access to papers and books of some pretty impressive authors for this job, but this assignment, in particular, seems especially important now. Percy’s The Masque of Anarchy is about the lawlessness of those in power. Think of it as rhymed verse describing the motley parade of leaders on your nightly newscast. It features personified concepts like Murder, Fraud, Hypocrisy, and most grotesque of all, Anarchy who claims, “I am the Science,” no wait, the actual line is 'I AM GOD, AND KING, AND LAW!’ in all caps.
I reckon Percy must have argued with his father-in-law, who was an anarchist, about the term he used for his poem. Sheer naked power without lawfulness is fascism, not anarchy, the absence of invested power. But ultimately it doesn’t matter what ideological label you start with; it all tends to devolve into slavery for the proles.
Yesterday, I had to pause to stoke the quiver of hope that ran through me as I scanned the original manuscript that recorded the lines,
`Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number,
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you --
Ye are many -- they are few.
Ultimately Percy’s advice to the downtrodden was to go ahead and let them murder a few hundred peaceful protesters in broad daylight so that others would be inspired to non-compliance. When they start killing children that should really do it.
We’ll see. Childhood vaccine deaths will probably be reinterpreted alternately as fake news, extremely rare, and necessary collateral damage for the greater good. What’s so frustrating for someone looking back at history is to see how many times we recreate the same problems over and over. You know what they say about power and yet we keep handing it over to those who least deserve it. Right now the Tech Lords are gathering up all the reins, and don’t let Octopus’s original motto, “Don’t be Evil,” fool you. It’s what they’ve always had in mind.
Both some fascinating information about the family connections of Percy Shelley, and a really powerful satirical view of some of the parallels. It's impressive.
9 months is a crazy long time to receive neither no nor yes from a publisher - that must be torture! Have you considered Trine Day as a possible publisher too? (I'm also getting ready to submit a manuscript for publishing, and am going to have similar limitations who migh be willing - will let you know any other options I mange to identify). Sincere good wishes for your success!
By the way, do you have any objection to me doing something with this passage to bring it to the attention of 'World in Transition' readers? Like maybe a 'Rise Like Lions 2', incorporating it, duly credited? Seems a shame for it to sit here in the comments where probably hardly anyone will see it.
I am honored that you like that passage so much. I'd be delighted if you would repost. By the way, I just emailed my friend at Skyhorse to nudge one more time. Fingers crossed. Even though I'm without a contract, Chapter One is going to be featured on a literary podcast in February, read by actor Charlie Besso.
Think I posted this at the wrong level in the dialogue before, and it probably didn't come to you:
Great - I’ll cross fingers too. Please let me know when the readings happens. Meanwhile I’m gonna send my follow up piece right now. (Prepared in anticipation of your approval!)
Great - I’ll cross fingers too. Please let me know when the readings happens. Meanwhile I’m gonna send my follow up piece right now. (Prepared in anticipation of your approval!)
I made that poem central to the theme of my "new" novel, "Covid-1984, The Musical." (It's been siting on an editor's desk at Skyhorse Publishing with no no forthcoming for nine months now, and no yes either.) I'm starting to get antsy about that fact. I can't imagine who else would publish it. So, if I may, let me share my Percy bit in your comments section.
In my novel, Winston is working for Octopus (their digital book division) at the NYPL digitizing (and eventually memory-holing) great works.
After returning to New York..., I managed to get a gig in the Casaubon collection at the NYPL, which preserves the work of Percy Shelley—the most radical of Romantics and a political revolutionary—and some manuscripts relating to his more popular wife, gothic novelist Mary Shelley, of Doctor Frankenstein fame, as well as the papers of her father, universal suffragist and direct democracy advocate, William Godwin, and of her mother, first feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft. What a family.
Percy is credited with the thoughtcrime of peaceful civil disobedience later copied by Thoreau, Gandhi and MLK. ... I’ve had access to papers and books of some pretty impressive authors for this job, but this assignment, in particular, seems especially important now. Percy’s The Masque of Anarchy is about the lawlessness of those in power. Think of it as rhymed verse describing the motley parade of leaders on your nightly newscast. It features personified concepts like Murder, Fraud, Hypocrisy, and most grotesque of all, Anarchy who claims, “I am the Science,” no wait, the actual line is 'I AM GOD, AND KING, AND LAW!’ in all caps.
I reckon Percy must have argued with his father-in-law, who was an anarchist, about the term he used for his poem. Sheer naked power without lawfulness is fascism, not anarchy, the absence of invested power. But ultimately it doesn’t matter what ideological label you start with; it all tends to devolve into slavery for the proles.
Yesterday, I had to pause to stoke the quiver of hope that ran through me as I scanned the original manuscript that recorded the lines,
`Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number,
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you --
Ye are many -- they are few.
Ultimately Percy’s advice to the downtrodden was to go ahead and let them murder a few hundred peaceful protesters in broad daylight so that others would be inspired to non-compliance. When they start killing children that should really do it.
We’ll see. Childhood vaccine deaths will probably be reinterpreted alternately as fake news, extremely rare, and necessary collateral damage for the greater good. What’s so frustrating for someone looking back at history is to see how many times we recreate the same problems over and over. You know what they say about power and yet we keep handing it over to those who least deserve it. Right now the Tech Lords are gathering up all the reins, and don’t let Octopus’s original motto, “Don’t be Evil,” fool you. It’s what they’ve always had in mind.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing that here V.N.
Both some fascinating information about the family connections of Percy Shelley, and a really powerful satirical view of some of the parallels. It's impressive.
9 months is a crazy long time to receive neither no nor yes from a publisher - that must be torture! Have you considered Trine Day as a possible publisher too? (I'm also getting ready to submit a manuscript for publishing, and am going to have similar limitations who migh be willing - will let you know any other options I mange to identify). Sincere good wishes for your success!
By the way, do you have any objection to me doing something with this passage to bring it to the attention of 'World in Transition' readers? Like maybe a 'Rise Like Lions 2', incorporating it, duly credited? Seems a shame for it to sit here in the comments where probably hardly anyone will see it.
I am honored that you like that passage so much. I'd be delighted if you would repost. By the way, I just emailed my friend at Skyhorse to nudge one more time. Fingers crossed. Even though I'm without a contract, Chapter One is going to be featured on a literary podcast in February, read by actor Charlie Besso.
Think I posted this at the wrong level in the dialogue before, and it probably didn't come to you:
Great - I’ll cross fingers too. Please let me know when the readings happens. Meanwhile I’m gonna send my follow up piece right now. (Prepared in anticipation of your approval!)
Love this, Michael. Thank you!
Thanks Mary, I always love to have your feedback!
How inspirational, lovely poem. A marvellous way to start 2024. Thank you Michael
🙏
Great - I’ll cross fingers too. Please let me know when the readings happens. Meanwhile I’m gonna send my follow up piece right now. (Prepared in anticipation of your approval!)
Thanks Diane, well said you too. Huge progress was made in 2023 and I'm optimistic that can be taken further!