Miss Mint Hath Died & Left Me

Here my darling love, lies, wrapped in her cashmere Burberry muffler, a favorite snuggle spot since it was purchased at Harrod's in London so long ago. It breaks my heart to know she is dead in this photo, her soul having left for Heaven.



The glorious Fire Parrot Tulips were Mark's gift to her memory and they are as bright and cheerful as any she played with in Amsterdam, often chewing them and batting at them when she was bored. How I wish she were here and bored now. This horrid dark hole into which I have been thrust would be at least lighter if she were here to snuggle and press to my breast. How many time that breast stiffled my sounds of weeping and sopped up the tears I let fall. Oh, God, Thou art unkind to deprive me of my solice upon this earth too soon. What is there left worth living for? Naught that I can see, naught that I may bear with grace or dignity. All goodness hast now past into Hades for my soul however bright my dear Pepper's soul may shine upon Elesian Fields I can only clamor, lost amongst the crags and dark black slippery stones of the river bed of Styx. My soul is lost is despair, wandering in this unholy place, it cannot go forward - yet - yet will not return to the light of Apollo in his chariot nor even Diana in her softer glow. I do not wish it anymore. I wish only to lay down amongst the others whom are dead and sleep that sleep which from no one awakens again. Let my heart's pain be numbed and silenced of the beating of despair.

Oh heavenly Gods of yore; Antinous, you especially, hear my plea. As thou were lost to thy Hadrain and He enshrined you throughout the world and deified you, please also take my darling chatelain, Pepper, the most precious soul of all of Egypt and the Nile and raise her to be a Star, affixed as was Chiron in His pain by Zeus, that at least I may see her each night above the brow of the river's bridges, above the cities skyscrapers, above the planes which wing and the satellites which spin , always higher into the heavens unto the planets where she will be crowned princess of good will, and, my star, shine soft in splendor evermore.