#All the little angels

[elliottjpg]

"Boo."

Happy Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May to all who observe.

Like last year, I opted to do a redraw of an old drawing from 2020; a companion piece to my previous drawing, a redraw from 2019. Night Watch is a good context to revisit the past and look at how I've evolved.

Rise up!

[dimity-lawn]

[tir-far-thoinn]

Lilac embroidery I did for the Glorious 25th of May.

How do they rise up?

[valiantlyfuriousearthquake]

What's this? Another Discworld book finished so soon?

I DEVOURED Nights Watch. It caught a grip on me that I really could not have seen it coming. One could expect, from the previous books of The Watch a similar story. A crime, a chase, some "politics"... And then. A storm comes in. And we are there.

The lilacs are blooming, the people are unhappy and there are talks. There's still a chase, of course, of a crazy sonofa. But while that looming threat covers the city of Ankh-Morpork, so does the people's fears.

Cogs move, the people are unhappy, it wasn't good times, freedom was practically non-existant, and in had to come John Keel to give order.

To be the sane man in a crazy world for those days.

To be there.

A revolution sparks from a feeling of hope. Of will to change, but when the powderkeg explodes, soon enough someone will rebuild the barrel, and back to business. And one will still have a boiled egg.

You just had to be there.

This book has sealed my love for the Watch.

[captain-rachel]

“That's a nice song," said young Sam, and Vimes remembered that he was hearing it for the first time.

"It's an old soldiers' song," he said.

"Really, sarge? But it's about angels."

Yes, thought Vimes, and it's amazing what bits those angels cause to rise up as the song progresses. It's a real soldiers' song: sentimental, with dirty bits.

"As I recall, they used to sing it after battles," he said. "I've seen old men cry when they sing it," he added.

"Why? It sounds cheerful."

They were remembering who they were not singing it with, thought Vimes. You'll learn. I know you will.”

-Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

[andthentheresanne]

There are many places to start the Discworld series, ranging from "Maybe not the best choice" (Colour of Magic) to "good if you're a bit commitment-phobic" (any of the standalones) to "you'll like This Set of Characters I think" (Mort, Guards! Guards!, Going Postal, etc.)

The first Discworld book I read was Night Watch.

And I was hooked

[corporalmaledict]

I haven't seen anyone link to this rendition of All The Little Angels this year, so figured I'd post it myself

[loichte]

'Right, sah.' Dickins saluted smartly, and grinned. He turned to the assembled citizenry. 'All right, you shower!' he yelled. 'Some of you has been in a regiment, I know it! How many of you knows "All The Little Angels"?' A few of the more serious class of mementoes rose in the air. 'Very good! Already we has a choir! Now, this is a soldiers' song, see? You don't look like soldiers but by the gods I'll see you sounds like 'em! You'll pick it up as we goes along! Right turn! March! "All the little angels rise up, rise up, All the little angels rise up high!" Sing it, you sons of mothers!' The marchers picked up the response from those who knew it. 'How do they rise up, rise up, rise up, how do they rise up, rise up high?' 'They rise heads up, heads up, heads up-' sang out Dickins, as they turned the corner. Vimes listened as the refrain died away. 'That's a nice song,' said young Sam, and Vimes remembered that he was hearing it for the first time. 'It's an old soldiers' song,' he said. 'Really, sarge? But it's about angels.' Yes, thought Vimes, and it's amazing what bits those angels cause to rise up as the song progresses. It's a real soldiers' song: sentimental, with dirty bits. 'As I recall, they used to sing it after battles,’ he said. I've seen old men cry when they sing it,’ he added. 'Why? It sounds cheerful.' They were remembering who they were not singing it with, thought Vimes. You'll learn. I know you will.

[viaka13]

How Do They Rise Up?

...no statues, no monuments, nothing written down anywhere. You had to have been there.

He felt privileged to have been there twice.

[elliottjpg]

⚔✊All the little angels, rise up, rise up...

This is a redraw of a very old piece, because Vimes deserves better than 2019-me's art skills.

That is not to say I look down on the original, I still love it, and it was one of my best drawings at the time. This redraw is a tribute to the Treacle Mine Road Revolution, to Pratchett's writing, to its impact on my life, to little-me, and to the passage of time.

Rise up!

[dimity-lawn]

[morporkian-cryptid]

This is spine-chillingly beautiful.

[waxscentedcandles]

TRUTH! FREEDOM! JUSTICE! AND A HARD BOILED EGG!

[tir-far-thoinn]

Found this version of All The Little Angels that I now love if anyone wants some extra emotions this 25th of May.