Soap Bubbles
By Hermann Hesse
Translated by Richard and Clara Winston
From years of study and of contemplation
An old man brews a work of clarity,
A gay and convoluted dissertation
Discoursing on sweet wisdom playfully.
An eager student bent on storming heights
Has delved in archives and in libraries,
But adds the touch of genius when he writes
A first book full of deepest subtleties.
A boy, with bowl and straw, sits and blows,
Filling with breath the bubbles from the bowl.
Each praises like a hymn, and each one glows;
Into the filmy beads he blows his soul.
Old man, student, boy, all these three
Out of the Maya-foam of the universe
Create illusions. None is better or worse.
But in each of them the Light of Eternity
Sees its reflection, and burns more joyfully.
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Monday involved my semiannual physical, laundry, and a bunch of freecycling. The physical went fine -- labs all good, A1C below prediabetic levels, no shots needed -- and since I was across the street, I stopped in Brooklyn Deli to get hamantaschen for Purim, which unfortunately they won't have in till Tuesday but as long as I was there I got us bagels for lunch. Then I came home for more sorting and organizing, plus more folding laundry while watching The Princess Protection Program, which I'd never seen and has adorable girl crushes.
Paul had gotten in the mood for hamantaschen, so he made chocolate chip dough and nutella filling and they were awesome! He also made triangle-shaped faux-beef pies for dinner, so I feel very close to Ishtar, I mean Esther. Chag Purim Sameach! We watched this week's Quantum Leap (Addison is Superman's daughter!) and the start of the new season of Perry Mason (actual lawyering, though also more grisliness than necessary). When we were at Alki Beach in Seattle, there was a man making huge soap bubbles on the beach with string:
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