Cole Porter

A few days ago, my dear friend Paul Cipes appeared at our door. With a puckish grin he handed me a packaged DVD. Not until Lenore and I viewed "De-Lovely" on TV did I grasp the meaning of his expression.

De-Lovely is a filmed biography of Cole Porter. It includes many of his most popular songs. He was a prolific composer and his lyrics are unforgettable. In contrast to the violent and degrading nihilism of some of our contemporary music genres, his songs were almost always melodious testaments to love. He must have seen love as a large and multifaceted diamond and every song he composed was about a different facet of that very precious gem. His rhythms unfailingly induced people to engage in genuinely romantic dancing. If some of you young readers don't know him, purchase the Album without delay. You won't regret it. Before long, like us oldies, you'll be humming his tunes and singing his lyrics.

I know now why Cipes brought me this DVD. A featured role in this film is Archangel Gabriel in civilian guise. Like Virgil guiding Dante through Inferno, Gabriel takes Porter on a retrospective tour of his life. Cole’s songs and lyrics stir many happy and nostalgic memories. The film comes to an almost orgastic conclusion, with the entire cast exultantly singing "Blow, Gabriel, Blow." A most dramatic climax!

Although you may think I'm a certifiable nut, I like to believe that I'm a descendant of the Archangel Gabriel. He has surely been God’s busiest, most trusted and most ubiquitous angel. And I am truly happy to say that he has always played a positive role in my life as well. After I built my ocean going sailboat (he helped me) it was with uncontainable pride that I christened it, Ark Angel. Aboard that blessed little vessel, we sailed fearlessly thru several major ocean tempests. And it cannot have escaped your notice, that this blog is named The Hornblower?

Thank you, Paul.