"Beware when the great God lets loose a thinker on this planet." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson US essayist & poet (1803 - 1882)

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.
-T.S. Eliot


i love this quote. It's by one of my favorite poets. i've struggled many times to read and understand "The Wasteland" mostly unsuccessfully. J Alfred Prufrock is a favorite poetic character of mine but my all-time favorite poem is....


DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

-Dylan Thomas


i also enjoy some Robert Frost poems, and since his home is located at Greenfield Village, it's one of my favorite spots to visit when we go.http://www.thehenryford.com

Anyway back to my point. If there is one. i've got a friend who is a competitive runner going to run the Chicago Marathon. He just emailed me to ask if it was the same one i'm training for. Since it is, i'm kinda excited cause it will be his first marathon. He's been running for years and won divisions in shorter races but we'll be popping our marathon cherry together.

Via email, i asked him to join me at the 1/2 marathon this weekend. He had to bow out cause his never ran farther then 8 miles and didn't feel ready. What an inspiration to me. This weekend coming up only frightens me due to it's length, but the risk is inspires me.

Strange thoughts occurred to me on Monday's short, HA!!, run. i went about 4 miles and felt so good i went real fast for me. It ended up being about 8 minute miles. For whatever reason, as i ran i started contemplating the ACS relay for life, which i am locally involved with. Which led to my thoughts about all the people i know who have affected by cancer!!!

As i got angry and ran faster and faster. As i ran faster and faster i became more angry. An amazing vicious circle. i ran as if i was determined to physically force my emotions out through sheer exertion.

i raged against the dying of the light

2 comments:

Mike said...

don't forget to visualze dozens of fingers snapping at the end of the post.

btw another favorite poet mike myers

"woman.... woe man"

more finger snaps

is it bad karma to comment to your own post?

snap, snap

Gknee said...

"Jane...get me off this crazy things......


called life...." (cue bass and drummer)