Kipling for Breakfast

The Gods of the Copybook Headings

As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race,

I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place. 

Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall, 

And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all. 

We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn 

That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn: 

But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind, 

So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind. 

We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace, 

Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place, 

But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come 

That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome. 

With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch, 

They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch; 

They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings; 

So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things. 

When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace. 

They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease. 

But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe, 

And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "Stick to the Devil you know." 

On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life 

(Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife) 

Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith, 

And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "The Wages of Sin is Death." 

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all, 

By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul; 

But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy, 

And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die." 

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew 

And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true 

That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four 

And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more. 

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man 

There are only four things certain since Social Progress began. 

That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire, 

And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire; 

And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn, 

The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

-Rudyard Kipling, 1919

Lepanto

Of all poems I have read recently (granted most were by Byron) the most beautiful has been a poem about the battle of Lepanto written by G. K. Chesterton.  It begins so:

White founts falling in the courts of the sun,

And the Soldan of Byzantium is smiling as they run;

There is laughter like the fountains in that face of all men feared,

It stirs the forest darkness, the darkness of his beard,

It curls the blood-red crescent, the crescent of his lips,

For the inmost sea of all the earth is shaken with his ships.

You can read the whole thing online, but in whatever medium, read it out loud.  It sings. It vividly paints the importance of the battle and the weakness of Europe at the time.  It also has a glorious portrayal of the importance of prayers and the place of the knight.  ("Don John of Austria is going to the war!" will continue to ring with excitement.)  I think I want to memorize the poem.

The anniversary of the battle was just this past Sunday.

Monopoly Haikus

Haikus made during
A monopoly game played
Yesterday. Great fun!

Yesterday, the Papa, Stephanie, Sarah, Esther, Emily, Elizabeth, Joshua, and Lydia played Monopoly.  One of them began to think that haikus would be a delightful idea.  A notebook was gotten.  A few haikus were written and then more were added.  These are the haikus, written by Sarah, Papa, Emily, Elizabeth, Stephanie, and Esther.

In Monopoly We race around the square board finding little land. A squeek and a squak As people land and dice rolls-- Is it a happy landing? Out of water, huh. But I do not wish to leave, This game is too fast. Vermont Avenue Connecticut Avenue Oriental, too. A six dollars, please, She said so very loudly, Pass the money now! First rent, second rent, She is a happy camper So Stephanie says. Killing the banker-- They tried to put me away. How dare they do that! Plink! Hammer! Pound! Saw! The houses are going up In Park Place Boardwalk. Oui, how loud, ugh, oh On the Marvin I should be It's better than jail. Congratulations! You inherit one hundred. Good fortune is yours. ROCKY TOP! They sing How painful it is to me! Simply pay me the rent!! She certainly is as sane as the rest of us. It's assuring. Right? Welcome to Park Place. Instead of money, I'll take, If you can't, your land. Just fresh out of jail, Please let it be a bright ten-- Ah! Joy! Free Parking! Hotels on my land, Enough money to last a bit, Life in my favour. So many Haikus; They have covered two pages, Were made in this game. The game has gone on Some are gaining great power Some are fast fading. Sleepy, exhausted. Why am I not in my bed? Just Monotony. I would hate to go And miss the end of the game, But I require sleep. The ninja turtle On the napkin is standing While the game moves on. We laughed together. Friends, we are exhausted, now. Friends, we part tonight.

Dice rattles loudly People fill the air with noise The chatter more loud. Three? Really? She sighs. The number is not happy; I wish another. I just played my turn, Will I be back soon enough If I go right now? Boardwalk and Park Place-- These two make a lovely pair, If yourself owns them. Having her first rent A happy camper is she though small the rent is. This game is crazy. The Mahoney family is fun to play with. Popcorn on the stove Makes much more of a racket Than these trades and deals. Whenever we land On Rocky Top Tennessee, We must sing the song. Ya! This is so fun! I'm glad we play together This monopoly. Evil landowners Grasp at rents so greedily Occupy answers! Welcome! come right in! There is a breakfast for you, Thank you for your gold:) Ah, the temptation Good for me, not for others I will wait for now :( Let the waltz play on-- It is Strauss so beautiful-- As the game moves on. A lovely evening Of Strauss and Monopoly. How lovely the scene! Eating rainbows? What!? How can we eat innocents Barbariously? Interesting times When one chooses to divest of his property. Hotels, houses, lands moving, trading, swapping hands. It's Monopoly. I hope you will stay And have a most wonderful time this splendid day. Most frustrating thing Landing on free Parking when It's dry as a bone. It was very long, Even for monopoly Ah, well, maybe not.