Days Come to Kill Us, Days Left to Live For

“Some people, no doubt, are born, and destined, to be common, to live out their lives to no significant purpose, but that is relatively rare… Most people have the power to be creative, and some have it in a god-like degree… But many people - perhaps even most - are content with the passing pleasures and satisfactions of the animal side of our nature. Indeed, many people will account their lives to be successful if they get through them with only minimal pain, with pleasant divergence from moment to moment and day-to-day, and the general approval of those around them. And this, notwithstanding that they often have within them the ability to do something which perhaps no other human being has ever done. Merely to do what others have done is often safe, and comfortable; but to do something truly original, and do it well, whether it is appreciated by others or not - that is what being human is really all about, and it is alone what justifies the self-love that is pride.”

All afternoon these lovers lay

Until the sun turned pale from warm,

Until sweet wind changed tune, blew harm:

Cruel nettles stung her angles raw.

by Sylvia Plath