By James Weldon Johnson
Eternities before the first-born day,
Or ere the first sun fledged his wings of flame,
Calm Night, the everlasting and the same,
A brooding mother over chaos lay.
And whirling suns shall blaze and then decay,
Shall run their fiery courses and then claim
The haven of the darkness whence they came;
Back to Nirvanic peace shall grope their way.
So when my feeble sun of life burns out,
And sounded is the hour for my long sleep,
I shall, full weary of the feverish light,
Welcome the darkness without fear or doubt,
And heavy-lidded, I shall softly creep
Into the quiet bosom of the Night.
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Johnson wrote this poem in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, where Theodore Roosevelt had sent him to serve as US consul.
It has been a chores and work day. I have nothing exciting to report apart from the fact that Daniel's middle school geometry teacher won a million dollars (yes literally) on Wheel of Fortune! There was much ongoing local rejoicing about baseball post-season, and gorgeous cool weather that has brought the chipmunks back in force, though I only saw two bunnies and the deer family was off somewhere.
Our Comcast went down in the late afternoon, both internet and television, and at first the web site said it wouldn't be back till 10 p.m., but some screaming and calling and tweeting at them got it back just as The Roosevelts started. Again I wanted more quotes, less narration -- how does Burns know that Teddy Jr. never forgave Franklin and Eleanor? -- but am still enjoying it. Some Maryland Terrapins:
Terrapin Topiary in front of Cole Field House.
Inflatable "Fear the Turtle" Terrapin at Byrd Stadium (or Capital One Stadium as it's now known).
Fraternities and sororities decorated various campus dumpsters...
...and recycling bins like this one.
The campus has made a major effort to go green.
The student union food court recycles and composts nearly everything.
The back of the Fear the Turtle statue at the Comcast Center, celebrating Maryland athletes.
And the fancy-dressed Fear the Turtle statue in the garden near the alumni center.
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