You are reading a single comment by @hms and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@hms
^csb.
There is more about the building here
and more about the sculpture here
Wikipedia says that it is cast aluminium - which I completely missed whilst I was there. The other website humorously describes the Surface Condition as being "bird guano"
Anyway - the inscription on the side reads:
"AT FIRST THE INFANT- MEWING AND PUKING IN THE NURSES ARMS/ AND THEN THE WHINING SCHOOL-BOY WITH HIS SATCHEL AND SHINING MORNING PACE CREEPING LIKE SNAIL UNWILLINGLY TO SCHOOL/ AND THEN THE LOVER SIGHING LIKE FURNACE WITH A WOEFUL BALLAD MADE TO HIS MISTRESS' EYEBROW/ THEN A SOLDIER FULL OF STRANGE OATHS AND BEARDED LIKE THE PARD JEALOUS IN HONOUR SUDDEN AND QUICK IN QUARREL SEEKING THE BUBBLE REPUTATION EVEN IN THE CANNON'S MOUTH/ AND THEN THE JUSTICE IN FAIR ROUND BELL/ WITH GOOD CAPON LIN'D WITH EYE SEVERE AND BEARD OF FORMAL CUT FULL OF WISE SAUS (sic) AND MODERN INSTANCE: AND HE PLAYS HIS PART/ THE SIXTH AGE SHIFT INTO THE LEAN AND STUPPER'D PANTALOON WITH SPECTACLE ON NOSE AND POUCH ON SIDE HIS YOUTHFUL HOSE WELL SAV'D A WORLD TOO WIDE FOR HIS SHRUNK SHANK AND HIS BIG MANLY VOICE TURNING AGAIN TOWARDS CHILDISH TREBLE PIPES AND WHISTLE IN HIS SOUND/ LAST SCENE OF ALL THAT ENDS THIS STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY IS SECOND CHILDNESS AND MERE OBLIVION SANS TEETH SANS EYES SANS TASTE SANS EVERYTHING"
(My shank was definitely somewhat shrunk in the cold & wet)