Good morning. Welcome to the 58, this
is the bus tour of the Neo Classical.
We'll be looking at the columns of the ancient
world beginning just beyond the roundabout
on Mansfield Road . You will find three major forms
in the leaflets which you should now unfold.
We start in the bus lane, so we won't have long,
and please retain your ticket, an inspector may get on.
Our first example is the simplest and I like to think,
the best. On your left, ladies and gentlemen,
I give you the Temple on the Forest and the form
we call the Doric. Note the lack of base, each
column seems to rise straight from the ground,
and the top or capital, is like a soup plate on a pizza box.
Understated power, isn't it fine?
Well, yes, it would be better if it wasn't boarded up
or painted with that ghastly glossy white,
really, why they do that I will never know,
I mean , graffiti was a commonplace in ancient Rome .
But I digress, please note
as we progress down Mansfield Road
how strong the ancient influence still is.
Columns, Ladies and gentlemen, are everywhere!
Please ignore the man on the back seat,
he speaks pure Anglo Saxon
which is not of interest to us today
and anyway, we approach the second highlight
of our tour. On our right again, the Corinthian columns
of the Theatre Royal. A style much favoured
by the Romans who did go in, I think, for showing off.
Note the flamboyance of acanthus leaves
around the capital, the rings around the base
like sleeves rolled up for work, suggesting strength
with a rather marred attempt at grace;
fine though, for a palace of extravagance like this.
Does he wish to leave us?
Well let him go,
but he's made us miss the first Ionic in our show,
The Reflex Bar on Market Street . Engaged columns,
set into the wall, in relief as it were.
Perhaps if he sits just there?
An Ionic column has a tasteful decorated base
and scrolling on the capitals, most elegant
and, of course, mostly Greek.
Which you will see for yourselves as our friend
rather rudely lurches off the bus, in the columns
of the Council House at our route's terminus.
Please get off and study them in depth,
maybe take the short walk back up Market Street .
Well, I do hope you were all enlightened, I hope
you all learned something from our list, And please
remember to say thank you to our driver
without whose skills this tour would not exist.
© Rosie Garner
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