Poem for Monday

The online version of Poet's Choice from Sunday's Washington Post reads, "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company has permitted Book World to reprint 'Journey of the Magi' by T.S. Eliot, but only in print; as the Eliot Estate does not permit Internet or electronic use of the poem. Please find and enjoy the piece in our newspaper." In my print edition, Mary Karr explains that "Journey of the Magi" is her favorite Eliot poem because "Eliot humanizes the traveling wise men and thus reduces the mythic to human scale...what enlivens the whole scene is the human uneasiness, because redemption requires change." Since "The Journey of the Magi" is actually one of my least favorite Eliot poems, I will not risk bringing down the wrath of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's copyright lawyers, but instead suggest that interested readers look for the poem here, or here, or here, or here.

I know that huge areas of the U.S. are blanketed in snow, yet despite winter weather advisories all night and this morning, we received only a tiny bit of rain. In fact, the sun came out more on this Solstice Sunday than most days the week before; it was well above freezing and quite nice to be outside at A Paca Fun Farm, where we drove (along an unpaved road that would have been impossible to traverse in snow) to pick up the socks that were my prize in a raffle from last weekend. Though the store was officially closed, Jo very kindly let us see the crias and pet the resident guard dog. On the way home we stopped in Gaithersburg at Borders and Toys R Us to get some last-minute gifts for certain boys who had discovered that there were new Bionicles and graphic novels.


Mother alpacas and crias at A Paca Fun Farm on Sunday afternoon.


I love the variety of colors and the way the wool grows on their heads.


Most of the moms just glanced sleepily at us.


The babies made little bleating noises of protest when we got too close, but for the most part ignored us.


There's a "beware of dog" sign out front, but since we came in with one of the owners, the dog was very friendly to us.


This is the front of the barn housing the fiberworks and shop...


...with some of the animals peeking out around the side.


And these are my prize socks. *g*

We had Chanukah dinner with my parents -- potato latkes, brisket, chicken, donuts -- and exchanged presents. I got my mother on Facebook! We were keeping an eye on the end of the Redskins game, which they were leading pretty much the entire time, but we were ambivalent because the Falcons have mathematically eliminated them from getting into the playoffs and we'd all much rather the Eagles get a wild card spot than the Cowboys. Boys were pleased with their presents (Bionicles, Simpsons DVDs, an MP3/AVI player for younger son) and I am saving all my birthday and Chanukah money for a superzoom -- probably the Nikon -- plus gave me the newest Legends of Ireland Barbie, probably because I put the package in his hands and said, "I'm getting this for Chanukah." *g*