The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Tue 11/4/2008)

[RetroLounge]

Why I Voted the Socialist Ticket

I am unjust, but I can strive for justice.
My life’s unkind, but I can vote for kindness.
I, the unloving, say life should be lovely.
I, that am blind, cry out against my blindness.

Man is a curious brute — he pets his fancies —
Fighting mankind, to win sweet luxury.
So he will be, tho’ law be clear as crystal,
Tho’ all men plan to live in harmony.

Come, let us vote against our human nature,
Crying to God in all the polling places
To heal our everlasting sinfulness
And make us sages with transfigured faces.

Vachel Lindsay

***************

:hi:

RL

[blueraven95]

1. Retro -

this is the perfect poem for today!!!

Have a fantastic election day!

:hi:

[RetroLounge]

5. ...

:hi:

RL

[Chorophyll]

2. Mornin' Retro,

you redistributionist of poetry, you! :patriot:

:hi:

[RetroLounge]

6. LOL!

:rofl:

:hug:

RL

[Chorophyll]

7. ...

I'm freaking out right now. Thanks for the hug. Here's another: :hug:

[YankeyMCC]

3. Speaking of Election day poems - Walt Whitman

I saw this in today's Boston Globe:


http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/11/04/a_poem_for_election_day/

(snip)
WALT WHITMAN'S poem celebrating Election Day calls our "quadrennial choosing" a more spectacular and powerful show than national scenic marvels such as Yosemite, Niagara Falls or the "spasmic geyserloops" of Yellowstone.
(snip)


ELECTION DAY, NOVEMBER, 1884

If I should need to name, O Western World, your powerfulest scene and show,

'Twould not be you, Niagara - nor you, ye limitless prairies - nor your huge rifts of canyons, Colorado,

Nor you, Yosemite - nor Yellowstone, with all its spasmic geyserloops ascending to the skies, appearing and disappearing,

Nor Oregon's white cones - nor Huron's belt of mighty lakes - nor Mississippi's stream:

This seething hemisphere's humanity, as now, I'd name - the still small voice vibrating -America's choosing day,

(The heart of it not in the chosen - the act itself the main, the quadrennial choosing,)

The stretch of North and South arous'd - sea-board and inland - Texas to Maine - the Prairie States - Vermont, Virginia, California,

The final ballot-shower from East to West - the paradox and conflict,

The countless snow-flakes falling - (a swordless conflict,

Yet more than all Rome's wars of old, or modern Napoleon's): the peaceful choice of all,

Or good or ill humanity - welcoming the darker odds, the dross:

- Foams and ferments the wine? it serves to purify - while the heart pants, life glows:

These stormy gusts and winds waft precious ships,

Swell'd Washington's, Jefferson's, Lincoln's sails.

[RetroLounge]

8. yeah, that was one of the choices today...

:hi:

RL

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear Retro...

Ah, it's perfect!

And of course it is...

You always pick the perfect poems...

Thank you!

:hi:

[RetroLounge]

9. ...

:hi:

RL

[Tuesday Afternoon]

10. kicking for it is as good today as it was yesterday...

perfect. amen.