Monthly Archives: January 2007

Political Change

Perhaps what we need is not merely change of particular policies – i.e. how wars are conducted, what we wish to pay for the maintenance of the elderly and poor, etc. – but rather change in how we conduct political discourse in the first place. It is centered too much around wealth and power, and …

January 23, 2007 – 12:39 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (2)

Please Articulate

Senator Sam Brownback gave what Buzzmachine called a rather “God-fearing” announcement of his candidacy, but I don’t know why Jeff Jarvis decided to italicize every single remark of his that was an allusion to religion (click the link and read the post, it isn’t long, to see why I’m fussing about this).I don’t know what …

January 22, 2007 – 9:02 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged , | Comments (1)

Either Wisdom, or "Love:" "Ganymede," by W.H. Auden

Ganymede W.H. Auden He looked in all His wisdom from the throne Down on that humble boy who kept the sheep, And sent a dove; the dove returned alone: Youth liked the music, but soon fell asleep. But He had planned such future for the youth: Surely, His duty now was to compel. For later …

January 20, 2007 – 6:19 pm | By ashok | Posted in auden, poetry | Tagged | Comments (1)

The Snow That Was Dust Outside

The snow made the world delicate yesterday. I saw it lay gently on the branches of the trees outside the windows and thought I should not disturb it. Coldness really can be a beautiful thing. She’s off in her own world, with parties and alcohol and concerts and everything else that is heat and passion …

January 19, 2007 – 7:04 am | By ashok | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments (1)

Still Life (a poem)

Still Life for Sarah Fisher – happy birthday. My apologies that this poem isn’t about you. I felt I had to give you something, and unfortunately, all I could think of was this story, that we’ve all heard over and over.“Now I believe that lovers should be draped in flowersAnd laid entwined together on a …

January 18, 2007 – 7:09 pm | By ashok | Posted in poetry | Comments (0)

The Internet and our Attention Spans

It seems like social bookmarking forces us to shorten our attention span even more, as we want to rate sites at a frantic pace. If we don’t rate sites, of course, no one will take our opinions seriously. Yeah, I know – the irony is that obvious, and yet we seem to be oblivious to …

January 17, 2007 – 4:40 pm | By ashok | Posted in blogging | Tagged | Comments (0)

Some Personal Notes re: Shakespeare, Sonnet 18

Sonnet 18 William Shakespeare Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; And every fair …

January 16, 2007 – 3:48 pm | By ashok | Posted in poetry, shakespeare | Tagged , | Comments (3)

Exploring

The search shouldn’t go on. I should be anchored, enjoying what is a respite that is required for other work. I should admit that there are different times in life for doing different things, and right now my task is not to explore, but to cultivate. But the harvest of the ocean really does not …

January 16, 2007 – 3:01 am | By ashok | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Downtime

The trouble lies not with the friends who are not talking to you, and who owe you an apology. They’ll figure out what needs to be done, or cease being relevant both to you and, more importantly, to anyone else, rather quickly. The trouble lies with those you’re trying to stay in touch with and …

January 14, 2007 – 12:57 am | By ashok | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments (1)

Democracy’s Mysticism: Thoughts on "All Religions are One," by Blake

All Religions are One William Blake The Voice of one crying in the Wilderness The Argument. As the true method of knowledge is experiment, the true faculty of knowing must be the faculty which experiences. This faculty I treat of. Principle I. That the Poetic Genius is the true Man, and that the body or …

January 12, 2007 – 4:11 pm | By ashok | Posted in Blake, philosophy, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (1)