Sunday, October 30, 2011

William Shakespeare: Sonnet LXXIII

›
One of my favorite sonnets by Shakespeare Sonnet LXXIII That time of year thou mayst in me behold, When yellow leaves, or none, or few,...
2 comments:
Monday, October 24, 2011

Loren Eiseley: We Are The Scriveners

›
We Are The Scriveners I have not seen her in forty years. She is old now, or lies in one of those midwestern farm cemeteries where no o...
4 comments:
Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: Quatrain: XLVII

›
Edward FitzGerald made several changes in this quatrain as the editions progressed from the First to the Fifth, but the most significant one...
Saturday, October 22, 2011

Michel de Montaigne: an observation

›
I generally consider Michel de Montaigne to be a realist, but at times I wonder if he is also a bit of a cynic. It is well to be born in a v...
Friday, October 21, 2011

Eric Hoffer: Reflections

›
#5 Due to the imperfection of man's instincts there is a pause of faltering and groping between his perception and action. This pause i...
2 comments:
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Han-shan: a poem

›
Han-shan is a classic example of China's hermit Zen/Tao poets. His poetry carries elements of both Zen Or Chan, as it was called in C...
Sunday, October 16, 2011

KING KONG . . . Kong . . . kong

›
Hollywood again exercises its creative powers by remaking a classic film. This time it’s one of the best monster films ever made— King K...
6 comments:
Friday, October 14, 2011

Something to think about

›
Since philosophy has been able to find no path to tranquillity which is open to all, let every man seek it for himself . Michel de Montaigne...
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Serendipity

›
The Red Cockatoo Sent as a present from Annam-- A red cockatoo. Coloured like the peach-tree blossom, Speaking with the speech of men. And t...
Monday, October 10, 2011

Lin Yutang: Oct. 10, 1895 to March 26, 1976

›
Would a different attitude or perspective on life make this a better world? Certainly today's headlines should make us wonder if someth...
2 comments:
Saturday, October 8, 2011

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: Quatrain XLVI

›
Edward FitzGerald elaborates on his reference to the "Game" in the previous quatrain. In this quatrain, he diminishes the huma...
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Serendipity: more autumn poetry from China

›
Listening to a Monk From Shu Playing the Lute The monk from Shu with his green lute-case walked Westward down Emei Shan , and at the so...
Sunday, October 2, 2011

Wallace Stevens: October 2, 1879 to August 2, 1955

›
An intriguing poem by Wallace Stevens. Actually, I'm not sure what to make of it. The Silver Plough-Boy A black figure dances in a bl...
Friday, September 30, 2011

Li Po: Now and then, a glass of wine, or two or . . .

›
Li Po (701 AD--762 AD) Drinking Alone In The Moonlight Number One Beneath the blossoms with a pot of wine, No friends at hand, so I poured...
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Confucius: Sept. 28, 551 BC (trad)--479 BC

›
Some thoughts from the Master: "The Master said, 'At fifteen I set my heart on learning; at thirty I took my stand; at forty, I ...
2 comments:
Monday, September 26, 2011

Some Autumn Thoughts

›
from " The Preface " "Autumn is that season in between: not summer, though still somewhat like summer, and not winter, thou...
4 comments:
Saturday, September 24, 2011

Joseph Wood Krutch: more from Baja California

›
from Baja California "Even an amateur like myself will seldom lack something to see if he will only look. 'Lift up thine eyes un...
2 comments:
Friday, September 23, 2011

Fall Equinox

›
Like last year, the first day of autumn, or the Fall Equinox, doesn't seem much like fall here in Tucson, where the temperature is expec...
4 comments:
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

John Scalzi: Android's Dream, an SF novel

›
John Scalzi ’s Android’s Dream Usually I select a book to read, excluding those chosen by a book discussion group that I belong to, on t...
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Basho: Sept. 15, 1644--Nov. 28, 1694

›
As I had mentioned in an earlier post, September 15 is the traditional date given for Basho's birth. As it comes shortly before the Fal...
6 comments: