9 May 1860. James Matthew (“JM”) Barrie was born in Kirriemuir, Scotland. He was the creator of the fictional ageless boy, Peter Pan, and an ordinary girl named Wendy, who have adventures in the fantasy setting of Neverland. pic.twitter.com/kAnRSQvQ7P

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 9, 2023

9 May 1934. Alan Bennett was born in Leeds. He rose to fame via the satirical revue, Beyond the Fringe, in 1960. His later work includes the film The Madness of King George, the series of monologues Talking Heads and the play and subsequent film of The History Boys. pic.twitter.com/PK6FpI0dud

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 9, 2023

9 May 1935. Roger Hargreaves was born in Cleckheaton. He’s best known as the writer of the popular Mr Men and Little Miss series of children’s books. These simple and humorous stories were first published in 1971 and have sold over 85 million copies worldwide. pic.twitter.com/gENeiIwlpL

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 9, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1968, poet, playwright, novelist, also known for her affairs (Isadora Duncan, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo), Mercedes de Acosta died in New York City, aged 75. Trinity Cemetery in Washington Heights, New York City (Portrait by van vechten) https://t.co/DwkQcyRJsK pic.twitter.com/3TyOSidgrT

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 9, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1981 writer (The Man with the Golden Arm, The Neon Wilderness, A Walk on the Wild Side), lover of writer Simone de Beauvoir, Nelson Algren died of a heart attack at his home in Long Island, aged 72. Oakland Cemetery, Sag Harbor, Long Island https://t.co/DwkQcyRJsK pic.twitter.com/iCGnyaRRXU

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 9, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1990, author (The Moviegoer, Love in the Ruins, The Thanatos Syndrome) Walker Percy died from prostate cancer in Covington, Louisiana, at the age of 73. St. Joseph Benedictine Abbey in St. Benedict, Louisiana https://t.co/Ffx2ERfqXC pic.twitter.com/1K3kYlTe1t

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 10, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1999, poet, songwriter (“A Boy Named Sue”, “Put Another Log on the Fire”, “The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone'”), cartoonist, screenwriter, author, Shel Silverstein died; heart attack in Key West, aged 68. Westlawn Cemetery in Norridge, Illinois https://t.co/Ffx2ERfqXC pic.twitter.com/CpsWvcDE9k

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 10, 2023

11 May 2001. Douglas Adams died (aged 49). He was best known as the author of, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which originated in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a series of 5 books that sold more than 15 million copies altogether. pic.twitter.com/RXSO7tuKBI

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 11, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1700, poet (Annus Mirabilis, Mac Flecknoe, Absalom and Achitophel), England’s first Poet Laureate, literary critic, translator, playwright John Dryden died in London at the age of 68. Westminster Abbey, London @wabbey https://t.co/pA3bOcGo5q pic.twitter.com/hBJ6iDocnA

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 12, 2023

12 May 1812. Edward Lear was born in Holloway, Middlesex. He was an artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet. He’s best known for his nonsense poetry, especially the classic children’s poem, The Owl and The Pussycat. pic.twitter.com/FsDHXw4fCH

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 12, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1850, poet (The Casket of Fate, Cries in New York), Fanny, Frances Sargent Osgood died of tuberculosis at her home in New York City at the age of 38. Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts @MountAuburnCem https://t.co/pA3bOcGo5q pic.twitter.com/vTpppGqkmh

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 12, 2023

12 May 1907. Best selling author, Leslie Charteris, was born in Singapore. He’s best known as the author of a series of books featuring Simon Templar (“The Saint”), which became a successful TV series in the 1960s with Roger Moore playing Templar. pic.twitter.com/d8HyEmIUXF

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 12, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1925, poet (What's O'Clock, "Sword Blades and Poppy Seed") Amy Lowell died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Brookline, Massachusetts, at the age of 51. Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts @MountAuburnCem https://t.co/pA3bOcGo5q pic.twitter.com/Ouxx07X6bt

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 12, 2023

13 May 1907. Author and playwright, Daphne du Maurier, was born in London. Her bestselling works were successfully adapted into films, including the novels: Rebecca, Frenchman’s Creek, My Cousin Rachel, and Jamaica Inn, and the short story, The Birds. pic.twitter.com/X5IMeiXM9m

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 13, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 2018, author (The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full) and journalist Tom Wolfe died from an infection in Manhattan, at the age of 88. Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia https://t.co/cTMKTLkUXN pic.twitter.com/A7JWdSoWjq

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 14, 2023

15 May 1856. Lyman Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, New York, USA. His best known novel was, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series. The 1939 adaptation of the first Wizard of Oz book became one of the best Hollywood films of all time. pic.twitter.com/2qUcxmlmuT

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) May 15, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1886, poet Emily Dickinson died at her home in Amherst, Massachusetts at the age of 55. Dickinson family private estate in West Cemetery in Amherst https://t.co/FhBLzngSdV pic.twitter.com/tYSEanipEV

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 15, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1955 author (A Death in the Family, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men), journalist, poet, screenwriter (The African Queen, The Night of the Hunter), James Agee died; heart attack; New York City, aged 45. Agee Family Farm Cemetery Hillsdale NY https://t.co/P032Y5E0u5 pic.twitter.com/s597Vu4TWt

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) May 16, 2023

A page from the Times the Devil read, and he said to himself, ahem!

I’m the father of lies I know, he said, but I’m damned if I’ve fathered them,

The leading article that day concerned a simple death,

It was suicide, the scribe averred, he simply ran out of breath,

By refusing food and sustenance so generously given,

By his ever caring guardians in a very humane prison,

Around that time a knock was heard, and a weary voice asked to come in,

The knock was on the Pearly Gates, and the man was gaunt and thin,

St. Peter said, “You have the look of hunger and of thirst,

I’ll have a table set for you, but I want some details first”.

“So sit down at this table and fill in this simple form,

We need some information our duties to perform”,

The man sat at the table and handed the paper back,

But Peter scrutinizing said “some details still we lack”,

The man said “I’ve not named my name, I’ll be judged on what I’ve done,

And as for my religion I fear I may have none,

Some clergy deemed it forfeit for I dared to love and hate,

I’ll stand by those emotions whatever be my fate,

If that’s a sin don’t let me in just bid me fare thee well,

Tear up that application and I’ll go back to hell”.

At that from out of Heaven God’s voice roared, “Let him in,

That man is in the state of grace, His soul is purged of sin,

That man has suffered sorely at the Devil’s daughter’s hands,

Don’t you read the papers Peter, that man is Bobby Sands?

So set that table Peter! He’ll sit at my right hand,

I want first-hand information of what’s happening in Ireland,

I did not make that country so beautiful and fair,

To be ruled by Brits and Quislings, who’ve no right to be there,

And set three more places Peter, there’ll be others following soon,

Brave Hughes, McCreesh, O’Hara face an early tomb,

And other longer queues will form of those who can’t come in,

Inform those tools of Thatcher that oppression is a sin”.