Balancing it all

I'm glad it's Friday - it's been a busy week. It was the penultimate week of classes, so there were loose ends to tie-up. My three thesis students defended (and passed). I had planning meetings regarding the next year or two of my teaching and scholarship, and also talked about Hume to the oldest continuous bookclub in the Valley.

Not bad, but I didn't blog! I have a weekend of grading, but can expect to make some posts.

As GrrlScientists notes, it is National Poetry Month, so I might as well share one of my favorite poems.

An Irish Airman Forsees His Death

W.B. Yeats, 1919.

I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My county is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.

Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.

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  An Irish Airman Forsees His Death I know that I shall meet my fate Somewhere among the clouds above; Those that I fight I do not hate, Those that I guard I do not love; My county is Kiltartan Cross, My countrymen Kiltartan's poor, No likely end could bring them loss Or leave them happier than…
I find it funny, somehow, that I learned it's National Poetry Month by reading ScienceBlogs. 'The web's largest conversation about science' seems a strange place to find contributions to a celebration of poetry, but maybe it's not. Scientists and poets are alike in being keen observers of the world…
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,And nodding by the fire, take down this book,And slowly read, and dream of the soft lookYour eyes had once, and of their shadows deep; How many loved your moments of glad grace,And loved your beauty with love false or true,But one man loved the pilgrim…
Once out of nature I shall never take My bodily form from any natural thing, But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make Of hammered gold and gold enamelling To keep a drowsy Emperor awake; Or set upon a golden bough to sing To lords and ladies of Byzantium Of what is past, or passing, or to come…

A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;

It's all about flying, who cares if there's a war going on and you have to shoot down a few people or you get shot down. You get a free plane and gas and you get to go flying.

By Bruce Thompson (not verified) on 22 Apr 2006 #permalink