The 57th Step

[taidgh]

Well what do you know, an envelope with life changing artwork by David Stafford arrived in my postbox today. It was in response to my last letter concerning the 57th step.

the front cover of my proposed epic Gothic poetry book.

reverse side with alternate book covers

I don't know how David does it, but he creates creative, witty mailart and has got me thinking of a few creative possibilities while having fun. Go David! I think I will have a stab at writing a poetry collection for this cover.

[taidgh]

DVS you are right about The 57th Step alluding to "The 39 Steps". Also a tiny reference to the seventeen steps that led to Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street apartment. You are quite astute. I was also thinking about the 108 steps that some Buddhist temples have.

Now I am going to write a poetry collection based on the cover and the many ideas that I have. Kind of like prose poetry me thinks. I have to write it first though! DK those fairy gardens are stunning. Yep my leprechaun friends are tending to give away some of my secrets these days.  Shame on them!

[DKeys]

p.s. I know this because Taidgh has many leprechaun friends who live here

[DKeys]

the 57th step refers to a walkway in a fairy garden

[De Villo Sloan]

First, you know I tend to read too much into things BUT this recent Staffordshire masterpiece sent me hunting in pursuit of some vague memory. I venture to ask:

Is "The 57th Step" an allusion to Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps"?

or

The famed 17 steps that led to Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street apartment?

and, if you hold the cover to the mirror you can distinctly read:

"Dovetail the cranberry sauce; Paul is the raccoon, miss 'm, miss 'im."

[DKeys]

With all that good Irish beer I can see why Taidgh. David is a great storyteller and I much prefer the realities he comes up with to the real thing. Maybe we should all live in David's head

[taidgh]

I don't know how the 57th step came about, but i pretended I was someone, remind me David. The scenario was David was working on this lady's garden and he built the steps leading down to the beautiful flower garden. Shock, horror he only made 56 steps instead of the contracted 57 steps. So I pretended I was a woman and wrote a letter. So this is David's response or thought on the 57 steps. I must admit I was probably drinking a bit at the time I came up with such an idea. The best ideas come when I am drinking.

[DKeys]

love it--now I MUST know what is so significant about the 57th step!

[David Stafford]

You're welcome and I do hope you think about a book...that was my aim....