Anna Has Something To Say

Second Go At A Possible Poem for My Sister’s Wedding:

A Kiss A L’Antique – Ode XII to Nea, written in 1804 in Bermuda by Irish poet Thomas Moore, published in his “Epistles, Odes and Other Poems” (1806)

(Transcribed from http://bit.ly/2cJjCbB)

Behold, my love, what curious gem Within this simple ring of gold; ‘Tis hallow’d by the touch of them Who liv’d in classic hours of old. Some fair Athenian girl, perhaps, Upon her hand this gem display’d; Nor thought that time’s eternal lapse Should see it grace a lovelier maid! Look, darling, what a sweet design! The more we gaze, it charms the more: Come – closer bring that cheek to mine, And trace me with its beauties o’er. Thou see’st, it is a simple youth, By some enamour’d nymph embrac’d – Look, [Nea], love! and say, in sooth, Is not her hand most dearly plac’d? Upon his curled head behind It seems in careless play to lie,* Yet presses gently, half inclin’d To bring his lip of nectar nigh! Oh happy maid! too happy boy! The one so fond and faintly loath, The other yielding slow to joy – Oh, rare indeed, but blissful both! Imagine, love, that I am he, And just as warm as he is chilling; Imagine too that thou art she, But quite as cold as she is willing: So may we try the graceful way In which their gentle arms are twin’d, And thus, like her, my hand I lay Upon thy wreathed hair behind; And thus I feel thee breathing sweet, As slow to thine my head I move; And thus our lips together meet, And – thus I kiss thee – Oh my love!

* Somewhat like the fine symplegma of Cupid and Psyche at Florence, in which the position of Psyche’s hand is most beautifully affectionate. See the Museum Florentinum, Tom. ii, Tab. 43, 44. I know of very few subjects in which poetry could be more interestingly employed, than in illustrating some of the ancient statues and gems.

[Above citation by the author may or may not be said for context; note that the poet’s muse is likely to be that of Carol Gregori (cited here: http://bit.ly/2ceeQQC), and many other artistic renderings and more famous works show Cupid’s tenderness and opposing views of mythological dynamic than that of what is referenced in this Ode.

My sister had asked me to find something that reminded me of their relationship. My reasoning is as follows:

Minnesota Primary Day! And to get one of these nifty stickers, you don’t even have to be color coordinated (or even pre-registered, for that matter!). 😉 Two hours until polls close… go out and vote (this includes a MN Supreme Court race as well)! http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

I think anyone who is concerned about this election cycle about who cares about who is “presidential” should 1) listen to all voices and not just the loudest, and 2) watch on Netflix the special “The West Wing” episode where it focuses on former presidents and staff (prior to 2002) - it’s Season 3, Episode 19 “The West Wing Special Episode” (aired 4/24/02). Everyone has flaws and the POTUS makes tough decisions while being at the trial of public opinion, in good times and bad. Good presidents transcend their own flaws, political gain, and ego; instead they act on what they believe is the best thing for the country. (If I had a legal way for you to watch, I’d link it, but it’s still proprietary, and I’m not in the market to pirate anything for anyone’s benefit.)

“It’s ultimately: you have to do what’s right. The most difficult thing, really, was when the hostages were taken… I could have been very popular, I think, if I had launched a military attack on Iran… But my decision was to be patient. I had to negotiate and ultimately, my goal was to preserve the integrity of my country. Although I maybe lost the election partially because of that, every hostage did come home, safe and free. And we didn’t kill innocent people in Iran. Well… it looks easy in retrospect, 25 years later, but it was very difficult at the time.” - Jimmy Carter in that very episode referenced above, and I don’t see how the same thought process has changed in the last 40+ years, regardless of most people holding that rank. Politicians, while not “popular” because of their record (some, more than others because they have a longer tenure), still give a damn about the citizens of this country and of this world.

If you think Donald Trump has the same attitude towards the nuanced nature of the office he is seeking to hold, you can unfriend me right now, because no self-respecting Republican can stand for what he is asking you to fall. He doesn’t want to be president of the United States of America. He wants to win… to acquire… to be superior. That is the mentality of a demagogue, and is especially true with the hate, fear, and vitriol he spews (yet it boggles my mind that this is the platform of the party who has never intrinsically stood for a self-proclaimed savior or still had the wherewithal to understand that they alone are not infallible). That is the mentality of someone who could not care less about you, me, or anyone but himself. This is not a poly-sided argument when it comes to Donald Trump. It’s a mockery of our political system and I am done with someone who does not take my brethren on the other side of the spectrum seriously.

Surprise! I'm in bed the earliest I've been all week, and it's a weekend night. That's what the DNC (and subsequent Stephen Colbert requisite rebuttals because, well... it's Stephen Colbert!) has done to me and my sleep schedule... the things I do for my party! ;-)

Yes, I am a full-fledged Hillary Clinton supporter (and whole Obama family supporter, for that matter.... #ThoseSpeechesTho), so if you want to comment, I'm making myself vulnerable to your criticism, but it is unwelcome and I will not engage. If you'd like to have a decent *conversation* or legitimate inquiry without hateful rhetoric, let's do it over tea sometime in the afternoon sometime in the near future, and not over a keyboard/screen.

I'm sick of standing in the shadows, only posting to Twitter, to which I only garner a handful of followers, to articulate my actual political opinions (I had more than one friend outside of my Twittersphere last weekend be super surprised that #ImWithHer). I will not use hateful rhetoric, or use monikers to seem punny, when it only comes across as petulant and deflective. I'm sick of people on all sides using candidates’ names as punchlines. For a second, I almost gave an "e.g.," but thought better of it. Y'all are smart enough to figure it out.