Tuesday, November 29, 2011
All those years and I never realized why I found the mourning dove so interesting until you pointed out that morning we stood by the icy window its resemblance to Robert Penn Warren— the secretive eyes, soft royal neck, and the mild, unruffled demeanor. It was the day after a garrulous night of champagne and [...]
Ou temps qu’Alixandre regna, Ung horns nommé Diomedès Devant luy on luy amena Engrillonné poulces et des Comme ung larron, car il fut des Escumeurs que voions courir; Si fut mis devant ce cadès, Pour estre jugié a mourir. L’empereur si l’araisonna: «Pourquoi es tu larron en mer?» L’autre responce luy donna: «Pourquoy laron me [...]
Thursday, September 29, 2011
But here my Muse her wing maun cour, Sic flights are far beyond her power; To sing how Nannie lap and flang, (A souple jade she was and strang), And how Tam stood, like ane bewitch’d, And thought his very een enrich’d: Even Satan glowr’d, and fidg’d fu’ fain, And hotch’d and blew wi’ might [...]
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
To be real on this path you must be humble— If you look down at others you’ll get pushed down the stairs. If your heart goes around on high, you fly far from this path. There’s no use hiding it— What’s inside always leaks outside. Even the one with the long white beard, the one [...]
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
A single word can brighten the face of one who knows the value of words. Ripened in silence, a single word acquires a great energy for work. War is cut short by a word, and a word heals the wounds, and there’s a word that changes poison into butter and honey. Let a word mature [...]
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Unmoved by what the wind does, The windows Are not rattled, nor do the various Areas Of the house make their usual racket— Creak at The joints, trusses and studs. Instead, They are still. And the maples, Able At times to raise havoc, Evoke Not a sound from their branches’ Clutches. It’s my night to [...]
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen, Bright topaz denizens of a world of green. They do not fear the men beneath the tree; They pace in sleek chivalric certainty. Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool Find even the ivory needle hard to pull. The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band Sits heavily upon [...]
Sunday, September 18, 2011
I thought it over; it went against me to lay out strychnine for lions, and I told him that I could not see my way to do it. At that his excitement changed over into exasperation. The lions, he said, if they were left in peace over this crime, would come back another time. The [...]
Saturday, September 17, 2011
There in the garden, a little fox Steals out at night, when no one is about, And under the shadow of the autumn vines He eats in secret the dewy bunch. Love is no fox, Nor you a bunch of grapes. But unbeknown my heart stole out And plucked you in secret, when no one [...]
Friday, September 16, 2011
Halley’s comet appeared in 1910 (And I was born in the following year): Its period being seventy-six years and seven days, It is due to reappear in 1986 So I read, and my heart sunk. It is unlikely that I shall ever see that star And probably that is the case with human encounters. An [...]