Monday, July 29, 2013

Poem for Monday and Wolverines

Superheroes as 2004 Volkswagen Passat: A Double Sonnet
By Bruce Covey

The Invisible Woman is the windshield.
Mr. Fantastic is the wiper fluid.
The Thing is the tire.
The Human Torch is the spark plug.
Spiderman is the antenna.
Storm is the ignition coil.
Rogue is the crank shaft.
The Punisher is the exhaust pipe.
Captain America is the hub cap.
Quicksilver is the oil.
Rogue is the gasoline.
Psylocke is the catalytic converter.
The Hulk is the cylinder block.
She Hulk is the mount.

Mantis is the manifold.
Ms. Marvel is the muffler.
The Scarlet Witch is the instrument panel.
Iceman is the cooling system.
Wolverine is the hood.
Colossus is the camshaft.
Banshee is the horn.
Polaris is the voltage regulator.
Silver Surfer is the rearview mirror.
Powerman is the bearing.
Phoenix is the powertrain.
Emma Frost is the hinge pillar.
The Vision is the fuse box.
Black Widow is the brake.

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Sunday had rain forecast, and though we only got it on and off, we decided it was probably not the best day to plan outdoor activities, so after sorting trip stuff and eating leftover pizza for lunch, we picked up Maddy and went to see The Wolverine. I am neither a huge X-Men fan nor a martial arts fan, so I am probably not the ideal audience for this film, but I enjoyed it for what it was -- fast action, less gratuitous violence than the other two blockbusters I saw this summer with more substantial female characters, good acting from the leads, a couple of great chase sequences.

The plot is entirely predictable and I'm sure you've heard to stay for the credits, which have the most fun scene, but I'm not sorry I saw it in the theater and I hope a particular character returns in the next outing with Wolverine. We had dinner with my parents so Adam could tell them all about his college visits, then we dropped his girlfriend off at her house and watched the end of this season's Endeavour, which has been great, though we missed last week's episode while traveling. While I'm on a wolverine theme, here are some more photos from the University of Michigan:


Michigan's student union with the scholar and the athlete sculptures to show the founder's priorities for students.


The center banner shows what has happened to Michigan's wolverines, taken right off the logo to highlight the block M...


...even here at the Big House, the largest football stadium in the U.S.


Here I am being a Wolverine in the admissions office.


The outside of the Law Quad.


An old-fashioned all-women's dorm with a curfew and Friday tea parties.


Christopher Columbus's 1493 letter describing his voyage to America is at the Clements Library.


A giant Bo Schembechler bobble head for sale at The M Den.

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