Poem for Tuesday

The Battle
By Shel Silverstein

Would you like to hear
Of the terrible night
When I bravely fought the—
No?
All right.

--------

Tomorrow I will post something from The Washington Post Book World's poetry issue. Tonight, once again, I cannot see straight. Daniel came home from school around 11 a.m., this time with an upset stomach, and it's a good thing Paul could pick him up because I wasn't even recovered from the Nyquil yet or safe to drive, particularly in the pouring rain. My chest hurts from coughing and I am wondering if I could have gotten bronchitis even though the other members of my family cleared this thing out without needing medication. No fever, at least, at the moment...last night at this time I was shaking with chills.


The National Arboretum hosts an annual April exhibition of ikebana, the ancient art of Japanese flower arranging.


This example by Pat Painter is labeled Chiko School. It uses mahonia and tulips.


This one, by Patricia Connors, is Ikenobo School, using grape hyacinth, cyclamen and baby's breath among its plants.


Kathy Ko created this Ikenobo School design with steel glass and phalaenopsis wrapped around plexiglass.


Barbara Shea designed this Ikenobo School example using cherry branch, cut-leaf maple and Star of Bethlehem.


Pat Connors' Kiku School design with tree peony, calla leaves and bamboo.


And another Kiku School arrangement, this one by Madge Overly, using Bird of Paradise, dracaena leaves and plastic mesh.

I have nothing else to report except that Adam, delighted with his new bunk beds and in anticipation of receiving the new dresser to replace the one that's falling apart -- it's laminate over particleboard, we've had it for nearly 15 years, it was originally older son's changing table -- willingly cleaned his room for the first time in, well, ever. Those of you who have actually seen his room will appreciate the magnitude of this endeavor. *g* It still needs some work, but is an enormous improvement and he is very happy with it even though we still need to re-hang the penguin pictures. All the stuffed penguins are now living in the upper bunk along with stuffed dragons, cats, snakes, banana slugs, otters, turtles and the rest of the menagerie; the real cats thus far have preferred to hide under the bed or sleep on it.