Thursday, November 4, 2010

"You buy the Sunday paper on a Saturday night"

Tom Waites. Not John Donne.

Or in this case, for health reasons, Poetry Slam Friday on Thursday.

Enjoy.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

8 comments:

Lewd Bob said...

I find that difficult.

Tom Waits is much easier.

squib said...

Take that, you Death, you!

Kettle said...

Donne must have written that immediately following his 35th birthday. I feel exactly the same way.

Middle-age, decrepitude, death: piss off.

Anonymous said...

Middle-age, decrepitude, death: piss off.

I'm pretty comfortable with my own mortality*. It's the mortality of loved ones that bothers me.

I get a bit pissed off when I think about all the cool scientific advancements that'll happen after I cark it.

Kettle said...

Good God, Alex, I hadn't even started worrying about the mortality of loved ones yet. Crappola.

Re: scientific advancements: I just want internal organ cloning to be perfected before I need a new heart/irises/gall bladder. What are you hoping for?

Mr E said...

I just want internal organ cloning to be perfected before I need a new heart/irises/gall bladder.

My brother has a mate who knows this guy who knows this guy who works in a prison in China, who can get most of the stuff on your list in "as new" condition at very reasonable prices. So if you need anything in the near term, let me know.

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the added anxiety, Kettle.

As for science, my list of demands includes a complete understanding of the human brain and a proven unified theory of physics, though I'm willing to settle for affordable space tourism in the short term (get your finger out, Branson).

And I'd be wary of toxic metal contamination sourcing organs from China. Just sayin'.

Mr E said...

It's a free range prison run on strictly organic guidelines. You pay a little more, but it's quality stuff.