I enjoy poetry. Some poems are inspiring as well as offering wise advice. One such poem for me is Ithaka by Constantine Cavafy. Constantine Cavafy (1863 – 1933) was a well known Greek poet who wrote the poem "Ithaka" around 1864 and was first published in 1911. There are a number of translations. It is believed he modeled it after Odysseus, the hero of Homer's Odyssey. Ithaka is an island in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Greece to which Odyssey…
This is my selection of excerpts from the world of writing. The first was a favorite of my father in law, Hollis Barnett. Having watched pelicans feed it makes sense. Limericks A wonderful bird is the pelican. His mouth can hold more then his belican; He takes in his beak enough food for a week and I’m damned if I know how the helican Jabberwocky One of the stanza's from Carroll's poem has always come to mind when I am about to…
Our friend, Julie Harrison, had a wonderful cat named Ed who purred so loud you had trouble carrying on a conversation around him. After a very long life Ed became sick and she finally had to put him to sleep. As a cat owner I felt her pain and thought of this poem by an author that is unknown: Cats are Wonderful Friends Gentle eyes that see so much,paws that have the quiet touch,Purrs to signal "all is well"and show…
My friend, Dennis Donnelly is an outstanding New Jersey plaintiff’s trial lawyer. Before becoming a lawyer law school he taught school and was a lover of literature. Recently he introduced me to a poet I had not read before, Rainer Maria Rilke. One of Rilke's poems I enjoyed was this one The Panther: His vision, from the constantly passing bars,has grown so weary that it cannot holdanything else. It seems to him there area thousand bars; and behind the bars, no…
Everyone has friends that we have neglected and should be in contact with. Dr. Johnson's advice is always valid: "A man sir, should keep his friendship's in repair." As life spins out control faster and faster with jobs, children, television and computers we lose track of our friends. One of the poems that I find very moving about our neglect of friends is the 1900 poem Around the Cornerby Charles Hansen Towne (1877 – 1949) Around the corner I have a friend,In…
Here’s a selection of excerpts from a couple of poetry books I enjoy reading. These are from the very old The Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918: Perfect woman She was a phantom of delight when first she gleam’d upon my sight; A lovely apparition , sent to be a moment’s ornament; Her eyes as starts of twilight fair; like twilight’s, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn from May-time and the cheerful dawn’ A dancing…
A friend sent me this poem. He said it was an old Irish poem, but I don’t know if that is accurate or not. I don’t know the author of the poem, but I thought it had a very inspiring message about friendship If one day you feel like crying…Call me.I don’t promise that I will make you laugh,But I can cry with you If one day you want to run away–Don’t be afraid to call me.I don’t promise to…
Glen Allen’s poem The Woman I am speaks to me about how many people have a secret inner world hidden by a facade for the world: The woman I am hides deep in me Beneath the woman I seem to be.She hides away from the stranger’s eye – she is not known to the passers-by. She goes her way, the woman I seem, but the woman I am withdraws to dream.The woman I seem goes carelessly- when love goes by…
When I was in high school,a half a century ago, I enjoyed the literature class taught by Mrs. Farnam. I memorized poetry for her and one poem, in particular, from that class has stuck with me: Eldorado by Edgar Allan Poe. Gaily benight, a gallant knight, in sunshine and in shadow, had journed long, singing a song, in search of Eldorado. But he grew old – this knight so bold – and o’er his heart a shadow fell, as he…
I admit to being a big fan of Arianna Huffington’s political views. She has a way of expressing her views that are clear and simple. Her ability to find the right metaphor is a big part of why I like to read what she writes. Her blog has a piece about the Democratic’s caving in to the Republicans on key issues. As she quotes from the Washington Post, "mostly quiet acquiescence, if not outright support" of Republican positions. Nancy Pelosi…
