Monday, May 24, 2010

Advice to Newt Gingrich Upon Reading His Newest Book

Dear Newt,

Relax man! Time wastes too quickly to be calling people who disagree with you "Socialists" and "Nazis." Is it worth it, Newt?


Whenever you think it's the end of the world or before you punch out people who disagree with you, read this. Take a deep breath. Remember the next part of carpe diem is that "tomorrow we die."

Prelude (from Book 9)
William Wordsworth

Twas in truth an hour
Of universal ferment: mildest men
Were agitated, and commotions, strife
Of passion and opinion, filled the walls
Of peaceful houses with unquiet sounds.
The soil of common life was, at that time,
Too hot to tred upon. Oft said I then,
And not then only, "What a mockery this
Of history. the past and that to come!

Now do I feel how all men are deceived,
Reading of nations and their works, in faith,
Faith given to vanity and emptiness;
Oh! laughter for the page that would reflect
To future times the face of what now is!
The land all swarmed with passion, like a plain
Devoured by locusts, --Carra, Gorsas, -- add
A hundred other names, forgotten now,
Nor to be heard of more; yet, they were powers,
Like earthquakes, shocks repeated day by day,
And felt through every nook of town and field.

Such was the state of things.