[David]

Oh my, did Pablo ever get that one right!! Thanks cigalechanta!
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

[Debbie]

Oh wow. I just sat and had a little cry at that poem. Feeling a bit emotional lately after losing a few family members, and really in need of cat or dog therapy.

So sad but so beautiful.
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If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

[gingerpale]

Rich and I have had 2 dogs--Hero and Max. Hero is dead now, and Max is getting old. Don't think I don't know where this is headed!

Anyhow, to add to your appreciation, admiration, Love, grief, and comfort:

http://www.mohryecogniak.com/schnauzers/quotes.html

[madameshawshank]

We were watching an episode of The West Wing when the planes went in to the towers on that September day. Was this part of the program?

Transfixed we were as the reality of the moment became achingly clear. I thought of the people and their stories. Later in the night...it was night in Oz...I thought of the apartments...of the breakfast plates on tables...left in the morning rush...there was a poem in me....it took a long while for it to surface...

an imagined New Yorker

into the apartment
I choose to walk
still breakfast remnants
precious dregs of coffee
I drink you
for the other you
is of New York ash
I in numb sorrow
play with the food of you
my September playground
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"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

[madameshawshank]

came across this today..thought I'd share:

May
the Ocean of Salt
the Ocean of Honey
the Ocean of Wine
the Ocean of Ghee
the Ocean of Curd
the Ocean of Milk
the Ocean of Sweetwater
sprinkle thee with their consecrated waters..
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"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

[chocolatemoose]

While searching for something else I rediscovered one of my favourite poems by Michael Longley. In Book 24 of Homer's Iliad, Prium, the king of Troy, goes to the Greek commander Achilles who has killed his son, Hector, to beg for Hector's body. 'Ceasefire' concentrates on the moment of reconciliation and forgiveness between Priam and Achilles. This poem was written by Longley in the summer of 1994 amid rumours of an impending IRA ceasefire.


Ceasefire

I
Put in mind of his own father and moved to tears
Achilles took him away by hand and pushed the old king
Gently away, but Priam curled up at his feet and
Wept with him until their sadness filled the building.

II
Taking Hector's corpse into his own hands Achilles
Made sure it was washed and, for the old king's sake,
Laid out in uniform, ready for Prium to carry
Wrapped like a present home to Troy at daybreak.

III
When they had eaten together, it pleased them both
To stare at each other's beauty as lovers might,
Achilles built like a god, Prium good-looking still
And full of conversation, who earlier had sighed:

IV
'I get down on my knees and do when must be done
And kiss Achilles' hand, the killer of my son.'

[gingerpale]

chocolatemoose, peace has prevailed in Ireland for about 10 years now, is that right?

[chocolatemoose]

There are many aspects of Northern Ireland (NI) politics that I'm still not clear about, the early parts of the Troubles were before my time and I grew up in Wexford (very SE corner) and have spent the rest of my time in Dublin so have never experienced life NI first hand.

1st IRA ceasefire was in summer 1994, it lasted 17 months and ended with a bombing in the London Docklands which killed two people. This ceasefire was then renewed in July 1997. On Good Friday 1998 a political agreement was reached in Multi-party talks, this necessitated passing of referenda on both sides of the border, 94.4% in the south and 71.1% in the north voted in favour. The single worst incident of the Troubles occured in August 1998 when the Real IRA bombed Omagh killing 29 people. The were a splinter group opposed to peaceful resolution. Although talks persisted and there was little violence a formal end to the armed campaign of the IRA was not declared until July 2005 when their weapons were decommissioned.

NI is moving forward slowly with devolution from Westminister and a new power-sharing Government that includes ministers from both the Loyalist and Republican sides. We had a general election in the Republic recently and beforehand all the main parties declared that they would not enter government with Sinn Fein (political wing of the IRA) - they are only supported by a very small minority down here.

Having said all that I must confess that I feel somewhat removed from it all, the Troubles have never had a physical impact on my life - the last bombing in Dublin was 10 years before I was born.

There is so much more I could say but just let us be glad that we have peace.