Rep. Dennis Kucinich, of whom I'm a big fan, initiated formal proceedings of Impeachment against President George W. Bush for lying to the American people in order to convince us to go to war in Iraq. The impeachment won't go anywhere, but I do so admire Representative Kucinich for having the courage to do what's right. It is therefore seemingly appropriate that I present If by Rudyard Kipling:
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!
The Gift
-
[Christmas, 1965 or thereabout]
The boy was very young; perhaps 7 or 8 years old. He loved everything about
Christmas - the lights, the music, Santa ...
10 months ago
4 Comments:
One of my favorite poems.
He should be impeached. He has certainly committed impeachable offenses. Of course, every sitting President for the past 70 years or so has, if you're a strict constitutionalist.
Great poem.
and, um... hi.
Ya, Kucinich is my senator. :) He is a bit kooky but his heart is in the right place.
Too bad he doesn't have the "Hollywood good looks" to make it up the ranks for the candidacy (plus, he's really, really kooky, not that that's a bad thing). At least he's got tenacity. He does not give up. I like that.
The poem was beautiful. Glad to see the spurt of Stu creativity.
I love that Kipling poem!
How about those Celtics??? woot woot!
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