A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
I'll be at the Mont Pelerin conference again today, and I'll take my computer with me, so perhaps I'll live-blog a bit of it.
Meanwhile, I've taken to heart my colleague's suggestion that I retreat from the world's cares into poetry. I note that she then immediately recited from memory Auden's September, 1939, which suggests how well that's really working for her, but the advice is sound in principle.
Thus, today, I dedicate a poem to the Occupiers of Wall Street.
I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden imbeciles;Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the imbeciles.
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Comments :
Apr '11
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
Oh, I so hope you are the author of that....but to who ever penned those words kudos I say.
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
Bravo! Wonderful!
May '10
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
Sticking with a neoclassical framework - agree more I could not.
Mar '11
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
Bravo!
Jun '11
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
Darn it, Claire. You sure make me feel inadequate. All I had was: Roses are red Violets are blue These protesters are morons But, hell, what's new?
May '10
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
Earth hath not anything to show more fair?
(Any more fares? Any more fares?)
Apr '11
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
Outstanding
Sep '10
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
The growing protests seem to be catching on. I would think they are one more indication of the growing angst and anger and may well find more popular support than is anticipated. Young, idealistic lefties but hardly imbeciles. Their protests may prove more consequential than anything said at Mont Pelerin. In the beginning the anti-war demonstrations of the sixties were similarly dismissed. Don't be surprised if Obama finds away of hoping on this train and riding it to victory.
Oct '10
Re: A Poem in Honor of the Occupation of Wall Street
How about a limerick:
I saw a mob that was crazed
with their solipsism they were not phased
so I asked with a quip
why make this trip?
so, into their navels they gazed
Edited on Oct 3, 2011 at 7:54am