Poem for Sunday and Medieval Times

For The Song of Songs
By Muriel Rukeyser

However the voices rise
They are the shepherd, the king,
The woman; dreams,
Holy desire.

Whether the voices
Be many the dance around
Or body led by one body
Whose bed is green,

I defend the desire
Lightning and poetry
Alone in the dark city
Or breast to breast.

Champion of light I am
The wounded holy light,
The woman in her dreams
And the man answering.

You who answer their dreams
Are the ruler of wine
Emperor of clouds
And the riches of men.

This song
Is the creation
The day of this song
The day of the birth of the world.

Whether a thousand years
Forget this woman, this king,
Whether two thousand years
Forget the shepherd of dreams.

If none remember
Who is lover, who the beloved,
Whether the poet be
Woman or man,

The desire will make
A way through the wilderness
The leopard mountains
And the lips of the sleepers.

Holy way of desire,
King, lion, the mouth of the poet,
The woman who dreams
And the answerer of dreams.

In these delights
Is eternity of seed,
The verge of life,
Body of dreaming.

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From "Akiba: A Passover Poem", published in Tikkun.

Paul's brother sent us a gift certificate for Christmas good at many local restaurants, one of which was Medieval Times. So since both sons are home this weekend and it's too early for local Renfaires, we went to the one in Arundel Mills Mall for an early dinner and show. The jousting is much more like the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire's staged battles than the Maryland Renaissance Festival's competition, but the stage fighting was good, the horses were very well trained, there was a falconer, and they had a vegetarian menu (hummus and pita, stuffed red pepper, veggie kabobs) in addition to the regular one (chicken, beef, and potatoes, everything eaten by hand, plus everyone gets soup, bread, drinks, and apple pie). So it was lots of fun.

















In the evening we watched the entire early sixth season arc on Deep Space Nine through "You Are Cordially Invited" which I've never rewatched since first viewing though I've also never forgotten it; it's some of the best television ever made and now that I know how things end, it's so much more enjoyable to see how certain characters interact -- Odo and Kira in particular, since I was so furious with Odo the last time around. I'd forgotten how despicable Damar was when we first got to know him, too, I always remember Damar from the end when he was heroic and as willing to die for Kira as for Cardassian. I am deeply gratified that my kids agree that DS9 is by far the best of the Treks.

RIP Thomas Kinkade. To quote The Solipsist, "Even if we are not saying that we love [Thomas] Kinkade's work ourselves, we would argue that a training in academic art history does not put one in a position to dismiss the sincere emotions of millions of people who do love Kinkade's art. Rather, their claims need to be taken seriously and, even more, granted respect. And if one accepts that everyone is entitled to judge for him or herself, one must also face the problems raised by the inherently patronizing notion of kitsch."