Intellectual disgrace
Stares from every human face,
And the seas of pity lie
Locked and frozen in each eye.
Follow, poet, follow right
To the bottom of the night,
With your unconstraining voice
Still persuade us to rejoice.
With the farming of a verse
Make a vineyard of the curse,
Sing of human unsuccess
In a rapture of distress.
In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountains start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise.
– – WH Auden
Sometimes it seems I had a dream, and, as a dreamer woke immersed in mineral baths closed within a cool, dark chamber fed by streams flowing in from the center of nowhere.
Hanging from the granite ceiling a kerosene lantern cast shards of light through the pale steam rising from the surface of the pools.
Ripples radiated outwards from the edges of my body and tapping faintly on the rock revealed the edges of the chamber.
Outside I could hear the wind slide across the spine of the mountains, speaking in a language that I remembered but could no longer understand.
Steam filled my nostrils and heat penetrated my bones until, after a time, I had no body, only a sense of silence and distance and calm.
As if I had just woken from all water into dream.
— Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, 1973
FSA/8d22000/8d224008d22491a.tif
The steel mill sky is alive.
The fire breaks white and zigzag
shot on a gun-metal gloaming.
Man is a long time coming.
Man will yet win.
Brother may yet line up with brother:
This old anvil laughs at many broken hammers.
There are men who can’t be bought.
The fireborn are at home in fire.
The stars make no noise,
You can’t hinder the wind from blowing.
Time is a great teacher.
Who can live without hope?
In the darkness with a great bundle of grief
the people march.
In the night, and overhead a shovel of stars for keeps, the people
march:
“Where to? what next?”
— Carl Sandberg
Down valley a smoke haze
Three days heat, after five days rain
Pitch glows on the fir-cones
Across rocks and meadows
Swarms of new flies.
I cannot remember things I once read
A few friends, but they are in cities.
Drinking cold snow-water from a tin cup
Looking down for miles
Through high still air.
BY GARY SNYDER
Starry-eyed an’ laughing as I recall when we were caught
Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended
As we listened one last time an’ we watched with one last look
Spellbound an’ swallowed ’til the tolling ended
Tolling for the aching ones whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones an’ worse
An’ for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe
An’ we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Van der Leun: The Normblog Bio of Your Host
That is no country for old men. The young
In one another’s arms, birds in the trees
—Those dying generations—at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect.
An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but studying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.
O sages standing in God’s holy fire
As in the gold mosaic of a wall,
Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,
And be the singing-masters of my soul.
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal
It knows not what it is; and gather me
Into the artifice of eternity.
Once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing,
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make
Of hammered gold and gold enamelling
To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;
Or set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.
– – W. B. Yeats, 1865 – 1939
Stone-cutters fighting time with marble, you foredefeated
Challengers of oblivion
Eat cynical earnings, knowing rock splits, records fall down,
The square-limbed Roman letters
Scale in the thaws, wear in the rain. The poet as well
Builds his monument mockingly;
For man will be blotted out, the blithe earth die, the brave sun
Die blind and blacken to the heart:
Yet stones have stood for a thousand years, and pained
thoughts found
The honey of peace in old poems.
— Robinson Jeffers
Sometimes it seems I had a dream, and, as a dreamer woke immersed in mineral baths closed within a cool, dark chamber fed by streams flowing in from the center of nowhere.
Hanging from the granite ceiling a kerosene lantern cast shards of light through the pale steam rising from the surface of the pools.
Ripples radiated outwards from the edges of my body and tapping faintly on the rock revealed the edges of the chamber.
Outside I could hear the wind slide across the spine of the mountains, speaking in a language that I remembered but could no longer understand.
Steam filled my nostrils and heat penetrated my bones until, after a time, I had no body, only a sense of silence and distance and calm.
As if I had just woken from all water into dream.
— Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, 1973
Comments on this entry are closed.
I find the use of “patriotic speeches” in pursuit of commercial ends is cheap and tending toward jingoism.
But wrap it in the flag and you can sell anything.
Latest case in point: Black Rifle Coffee Co.
I understand but I’m not a purist and I’m not ready to condemn something because it has capitalist roots and aims. That, to an extent, was the point of America in the first place.
It’s your blog, Gerard. You put out what you like. I’m always grateful for the quality content.
I do agree with the central theme of the message in the add and to that end I wouldn’t condemn it either. I just tire of everyone portraying their brand as patriotic, because patriotism sells. People are in business to make money. There is nothing wrong with profit as motivation, but whoring out the flag strikes hollow with me.
Individuals in this country lost their freedom when they were chained to “we the people…”.
Ø
I had to go back and watch again after reading these comments. I am “elderly” with bad
vision so had to watch it several times before I picked out the word “wine”. In my mind I
saw it more in the line of a sort of public service announcement than an ad.
Can anyone tell me where the line is between “Patriotism /Pride of Country” and
“Jingoism”? After a couple of hours pondering about this comment it has occurred to
me that having been born in 1940, living through more good times than bad, and having
had the good fortune of every single dime made in agriculture, maybe “I” am a Jingoist —-
If I was a wine drinker I’d figure out who that was and go buy a bottle!
Perhaps the wine makers are cynically pandering to the remnant of traditional America. Maybe they just figure this will sell, and the rubes will buy their stuff. Maybe they have a different label and a different campaign targeting the woke and social justice mob: Mixed race, and lbxyz couples. A toast to equity!!! Some soi boi drinking champagne out a black trannie’s size 14 shoe.
Whatever they’re doing, they have no problem with alienating a serious chunk of the wine-drinking demographic. This ad will piss off the woke. It is a finger in the face, and screw you. If you don’t like it, don’t buy our booze. I don’t drink anyway. But I like these guys.
JWM
Corporations are becoming the spawns of Satan. Disney, Coke, NBC. GooBullle, Defacedbook, YooBoobTube.
If a company wants to embrace the flag, and Ronald Reagan, I am with them. Capitalism is not evil; Capitalism has brought millions of people out of poverty and given hope to the world. It is an economic system that is the blood-enemy of Marxism, and that’s all I need to know. If you’re in a barroom fight with bad guys, and your own are stinky, foul men of low repute, be very happy they are your cohort. Seek allies among the lowly, because it could be your salvation in a fight.
I’ll but their wine.
Reagan needs to come back from the dead. Seriously.
Kevin: “commercialism”? Really? A wine seller is a commercialist?? Boy, you’d better get your head straight and fast.
The left needs to feel the spirit of traditionalism, patriotism, conservatism, westernism, and most of all rebellion, all around them, threatening them.
Why? Because they have no fear.
In movies, books, posters, ads, speeches, signs, graffiti, flags, courses (“How to remove Commies”), businesses (“God, Family, Country, and Weapon Supply”). Not “news,” but “Here’s what’s coming..”
Not sporadic and limp reactions on talk radio and speeches by Rand Paul, to abuses and propaganda.
They have to know that they confront the weight of an implacable opponent—an enemy that they created–who is armed and already beyond reason, compromise, getting along, and bi-partisanship.
We have to go beyond being seen as dissidents, deplorables, “wingers,” “alt.”
And become mortal enemy. The Other they don’t want to meet at night.
We have to be this to them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wy-W-pYlds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv29DzgiXZA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRXLBNZFrwU different enemy but the same animus.
That’s how I see it, anyway.
“You don’t have to give money to people who hate you.”
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/08/08/fox-friends-lauds-we-the-people-wine-ceo-for-viral-ad-you-dont-have-to-give-money-to-people-who-hate-you-1115354/
As I pointed to this example: “Latest case in point: Black Rifle Coffee Co.”
This company got all kinds of folks that consider themselves to be “patriotic” to buy their coffee. They waved the flag, took the money and then, they spit in the face of all those patriotic customers. The Black Rifle coffee Co. sold their product using false patriotism to hook gullible consumers. It worked. Then, they essentially told all those gullible “patriots” that free speech is wrong, that if you support a kid who defended himself from multiple attackers (many of them with long criminal records, one of them a convicted child rapist) with a black rifle (funny that one), is some kind of bad person…..and in their minds “unpatriotic”.
Here’s my take on patriotism:
1- Patriotism is not a f*cking commercial!
2- Patriotism means more than waving the flag.
3- Patriotism is more than pulling the levers to vote every couple of years.
4- Patriotism is definitely not achieved through buying things.
This reminds me when Ralphie in ‘A Christmas Story’ got his decoder ring. I felt the same as Ralphie at the end.
Corporations are becoming the spawns of Satan. Disney, Coke, NBC. GooBulle, Defacedbook, YouBoobTube.
If a company wants to embrace the flag, and Ronald Reagan, I am with them. Capitalism is not evil; Capitalism has brought millions of people out of poverty and given hope to the world. It is an economic system that is the blood-enemy of Marxism, and that’s all I need to know. If you’re in a barroom fight with bad guys, and your own are stinky, foul men of low repute, be very happy they are your cohort. Seek allies among the lowly, because it could be your salvation in a fight.
I’ll but their wine.
Reagan needs to come back from the dead. Seriously.
Kevin: “commercialism”? Really? A wine seller is a commercialist?? Boy, you’d better get your head straight and fast.
I’m ordering some BRCC dark coffee soon.
This country is a Capitalist country. Learn it, Live it. Love it.
You’d better believe the corporatists who make their bed with the Socialists are not planning on losing market share or dollars in any way, shape of form. Perhaps their gulag hovels will have an extra layer of tar paper. Those fux.
I’ma buy some of that wine.
I’ma order some of that delicious BRCC coffee.
Casey, no disrespect meant. Buy your BBRC coffee knowing that by pandering to the peckerwoods at the New York Fish Wrap, they basically spit in the faces of their biggest consumer base.
I tend not to lump every company together based upon what another company did.
From We the People wine company “About Us” –
“WE THE PEOPLE is an American brand dedicated to Conservative values. Our wine is made for Americans by Americans. American exceptionalism, free markets, free people, free speech and limited government are what we stand for.
We want to reflect what we see as the exceptionally diverse identity of Conservatives across the country – diversity of thought, diversity of experiences and diversity of everything that makes up our society. We are proud of the values that our brand stands for because those values unite people across every walk of life.
WE THE PEOPLE takes things a step further – a portion of the profits from every sale goes directly to supporting causes that reflect the values our community stands for.
Every sip is another step towards freedom. Drink up!”
If that’s wrong, don’t buy it.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/07/americas-coffee-owner-popular-black-rifle-coffee-calls-customers-racists-worst-american-society-hate/
Amidst our sliceing and dicing of opinions and on what hill we plan to plant our flag, let us not forget that THEY are coming for US. If you have trouble with that one read Lenin’s WHO & WHOM speech. It is crystal clear.
If you are a man of the Right, I stand with you.
@Tim – While the “About” statement of the wine company starts off strong, in that second portion they toot their “diversity” horn four (4) times in staccato succession. This, to me anyway, is a red flag. Though America is made up of many individuals from many nationalities, and thus is indeed diverse in peoples, I fear the diversity horn they are tooting is of the type which gives license to the current ills America suffers from on a daily basis, the wine company is just missing the rainbow hair, at the moment, I think.
Dana Loesch interviewed BRCC execs and they either had to do the NYT interview and take some measure of dignity, or be smeared without recourse. It took courage, IMO.
The boy who defended himself in a riot with an AR was right to do it, and arguably a bit in front of the curve by showing up armed to a riot. But you can’t pin that event to a conservative company. Watch where that shit goes once you do. There will be Lib Gallows erected to rape and execute any exec at any number of companies that aren’t pure enough. BRCC, Grunt Style, The USDA inspectors, Timber companies…
The kinetics will begin soon enough. I’m not sure I want corporate America involved on any level. I already mistrust 200% of those swine.
The multiple posts are the screen bot, not me. Sorry.
Don’t you guys grow tired of the same ol Subject Matter Experts,,,,,,,weekly, on ALL the channels.
All sound like parrots on a pirates shoulders, exactly the same.
If you don’t know the truth by now, if you need more convincing, Watch people scurry to and from. Their frantic panicked focused response tells the truth.
Actually watched Mark Levin last night, we’ll for six minutes,,,,,,As proof of tyranny he brings Newt on!
All you need to know about your representatives is their VOTING Record! Nothing else.
The local news paper editor use to crew for me. We would drink beer argue politics. One night an especially big wind race, he asked me what I would have him do.
I said publish ALL the sitting Representatives voting record in the paper for all to see, two weeks before Election Day. Christ you would have thought I shot the Pope. That night he left my crew, never to return.
A good man, a wise man. He knew that simply publishing Each’s voting Record would take any and all of media’s power away.
Friends they only have power if you continue to read their nonsense,,, or watch their bullshit on tv. The paper here is about to go out of business, the only thing carrying it is, the store adds. Readerships wayyyyyy down.
VI
Ya know, I really don’t give a shit who sells what and under what pretense. It doesn’t matter. If I want something I get it. That simple.
I just don’t have the time nor resources to stand there and try to figure out or remember which asshole is which. But. I do have an overall game plan.
For quite some time I have been on a constant downhill curve to spend less and less and have less and less, of shit I don’t really need.
I have a lifetime of stuff around here that, in up to 50 years of hindsight, I just don’t want any more. Did people that didn’t deserve it make money off my ass? Yes indeedy.
But take note, they are making less and less all the time off me, and it might have to do with their morality or it may not. It’s not about them, and never was. It’s about me. After all, the world began the day I was born.
“Your hate is my fuel.”
–gs, 2099
And one more thing.
Notice how little things like wine and coffee gets people fighting among themselves.
What are you going to do when there’s no bread on the shelves?
Step back, take a breath, compose.