“They saw their injured country's woe;
The flaming town, the wasted field;
Then rushed to meet the insulting foe;
They took the spear, - but left the shield.”
―Philip Freneau
Friday, January 22, 2016
Seasonal Variations
Four Seasons fill the measure of the year;
There are four seasons in the mind of man:
He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear
Takes in all beauty with an easy span:
He has his Summer, when luxuriously
Spring's honied cud of youthful thought he loves
To ruminate, and by such dreaming high
Is nearest unto heaven: quiet coves
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings
He furleth close; contented so to look
On mists in idleness—to let fair things
Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook.
He has his Winter too of pale misfeature,
Or else he would forego his mortal nature.
"Foregoing our mortal nature" –– as long as we can possibly get away with it ;-) –– is probably the best approach to life.
I am now officially old, and have my share of infirmities as may be expected, BUT I am blest to have an abundance of happy memories on which to look back from each period of my life. I may not have been a Great Success in the eye of the world –– or my dear parents –– but I did have the courage of my convictions and dared to live as I wished to live.
As a result, I have no one but myself to blame for whatever went wrong. Believe it or not there's great comfort in that.
As for the future? I have no idea what it may bring, but I am CURIOUS enough to want to hang around as long as i possibly can in order to find out. I say "curious," but quickly add that I am not particularly EAGER, because from the evidence at hand our prospects look bleak. How I'd love to come to an end filled with surprises that would make me wish I could stay longer.
We shall see what we shall see ...
MEANWHILE:
______ For A Snowbound Lady ______
Bare branches stick out From snow mountains twelve feet tall Waiting for the spring.
Snow suffocation Must be difficult to bear Bushes too must breathe.
We Human beings May sit and read by the fire, Sip Scotch, or hook rugs,
Work jigsaw puzzles, Darn socks, plan meals or daydream In cozy comfort.
While patiently We wait for deliverance From this winter’s worst.
"Foregoing our mortal nature" –– as long as we can possibly get away with it ;-) –– is probably the best approach to life.
ReplyDeleteI am now officially old, and have my share of infirmities as may be expected, BUT I am blest to have an abundance of happy memories on which to look back from each period of my life. I may not have been a Great Success in the eye of the world –– or my dear parents –– but I did have the courage of my convictions and dared to live as I wished to live.
As a result, I have no one but myself to blame for whatever went wrong. Believe it or not there's great comfort in that.
As for the future? I have no idea what it may bring, but I am CURIOUS enough to want to hang around as long as i possibly can in order to find out. I say "curious," but quickly add that I am not particularly EAGER, because from the evidence at hand our prospects look bleak. How I'd love to come to an end filled with surprises that would make me wish I could stay longer.
We shall see what we shall see ...
MEANWHILE:
______ For A Snowbound Lady ______
Bare branches stick out
From snow mountains twelve feet tall
Waiting for the spring.
Snow suffocation
Must be difficult to bear
Bushes too must breathe.
We Human beings
May sit and read by the fire,
Sip Scotch, or hook rugs,
Work jigsaw puzzles,
Darn socks, plan meals or daydream
In cozy comfort.
While patiently
We wait for deliverance
From this winter’s worst.
~ FreeThinke
:)
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