The newest batch of Poetry in Motion placards on the subway brought out this excerpt from Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" today:
Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.
This seems far too appropriate as a commentary on the year itself and the events, on the national level, thereof. I always forget how beautiful Arnold's poetry is. It's nice to be reminded, even if this isn't the cheeriest piece. It's still a good piece to close out the year with, considering all that's gone on.
Here's hoping the next year will see some improvements. Here's my wishes for everyone, the world over, including the war mongers in Washington:
I wish you all health and happiness, pleasures of the body and the mind, success, new adventures, the rekindling of old loves and/or the discovery of new ones, fireworks, candlelight, security financial and otherwise, good stories, continual astonishment, spiritual enlightenment (your choice of dogma or karma), frequent amusement, a wee dram when you need it (once a day), big hearts, deep pockets, long tempers, patience, peace, something warm and fuzzy that is already house-trained, a sense of the ineffable, and people in your life who are as dear as my loved ones are to me.
Very nice site. Will sure visit again.
Posted by: Very nice site. Will sure visit again. | November 25, 2005 at 05:45 PM