I Sit Beside the Fire and Think

Via

William Ernest Henley

Poetry from JRR Tolkien on What Would Have Been his 132nd Birthday

Via

Beware!

Via

One of My Favorite Poems

William Langland

When the kindness of Constantine gave Holy Church endowments

In kindness and leases, lordships and servants.

The Romans heard an angel cry on high above them,

"This day does eccelesiae has drunk venom

And all who have Peter's power are poisoned forever"

Paul Dirac on Science and Poetry

If you don't know the name, you should become familiar. Easily one of the 5 most important physicists of the 20th century. (Via)

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The Road Not Taken perhaps the most misread poem in history

- Heh Heh

- As we come up on the 2023 Masters a reminder that past Masters are available for viewing on YouTube

- WTF? Bedtime cereal? This must be aimed at people who still wear masks while driving alone.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Obscurity is the refuge of the incompetent." - Robert Heinlein

"Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." - Adam Smith

"Poems are always better than a bloody turkey foot in the mailbox,. Few would disagree." - Jim Harrison

"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech." - Benjamin Franklin

Written While Drunk

Once drunk, my delight knows no limits -

Even better than before I'm drunk.

My movements, my expressions, all turn to dance,

And every word out of my mouth turns into a poem!

- Zhang Yue (667 to 730)

Enjoy your Saturday - I know I will!  Poker, college football and live music are my agenda for the day. Later tonight every word out of my mouth will be poetry!

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Obscurity is the refuge of the incompetent." - Robert Heinlein

"Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." - Adam Smith

"Poems are always better than a bloody turkey foot in the mailbox,. Few would disagree." - Jim Harrison

"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - JRR Tolkien The Hobbit

The Force of Habit

Jim Harrison's last poems as final words.

Memento mori.

(HT The Happy Curmudgeon)

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- TDS claims another victory. Guessing Cheney won't be re-elected in 2022. She'll be labeled as being part of "the Swamp" and that label will stick.

- Heh Heh - "Skynet is a private company. They can do what they want." 

- Why the Left has to Suppress Free Speech

- Poetry Break - Kipling's IF read by Michael Caine (one of my favorite poems)

Ozymandias

Very well-done. I kept wondering if that was the voice of Vincent Price. (HT American Digest)

Love is the Fart

Love is the fart
Of every heart;
It pains a man when 'tis kept close,
And others doth offend when 'tis let loose

- Sir John Suckling

Auguries of Innocence

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

- William Blake

Beautiful poem but I think Blake should have added in something about puppies. 

Robert Hunter

Poet Robert Hunter has passed away. Like many, I was only familiar with Hunter through his work as the lyricist of many Grateful Dead songs. I am ashamed to say that though I've heard many of the Grateful Dead songs he penned (especially Ripple) dozens or hundreds of times - I never fully contemplated how profound the lyrics were.

"Let it be known there is a fountain that was not made by the hands of men." - Robert Hunter RIP

Thanks to Vanderleun for helping me consider Hunter's words in a whole new light and with a much greater appreciation. It saddens me that it took his passing for that to happen. The world is a lesser place today.

The Poetry of Donald Rumsfeld

The Unknown 

As we know, 
There are known knowns. 
There are things we know we know. 
We also know 
There are known unknowns. 
That is to say 
We know there are some things 
We do not know. 
But there are also unknown unknowns, 
The ones we don't know 
We don't know. 

Department of Defense news briefing Feb. 12, 2002

Just one small sample of the lyrical stylings of the great for Secretary of Defense. 

The "poem" has also been set to music. Pure genius!

Auguries of Innocence

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

- William Blake

Beautiful poem but I think Blake should have added in something about puppies. 

Political Debate Today in a Nutshell

Hat tip to Russ Roberts and his great podcast EconTalk.