Poem for Sunday

The God Abandons Antony
By Constantine Cavafy

When suddenly, at midnight, you hear
an invisible procession going by
with exquisite music, voices,
don't mourn your luck that's failing now,
work gone wrong, your plans
all proving deceptive -- don't mourn them uselessly.
As one long prepared, and graced with courage,
say goodbye to her, the Alexandria that is leaving.
Above all, don't fool yourself, don't say
it was a dream, your ears deceived you:
don't degrade yourself with empty hopes like these.
As one long prepared, and graced with courage,
as is right for you who were given this kind of city,
go firmly to the window
and listen with deep emotion, but not
with the whining, the pleas of a coward;
listen -- your final delectation -- to the voices,
to the exquisite music of that strange procession,
and say goodbye to her, to the Alexandria you are losing.

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Above poem from today's Washington Post Book World "Poet's Choice" column by Edward Hirsch. A highly recommended column; if you like the poem, do go read the analysis there.

From the Sunday New York Times, David Edelstein's "One Film, Two Wars, Three Kings" -- all superb analysis. No wonder the movie did terrible box office; it was actually ABOUT something.

made this and yay for my result! I would sob aloud if I'd come out Voyager and throw up if I'd come out Enterprise.


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