Thank you, Michael, for choosing the Tuesday poem. I’ve been trying to post some good poetry every Tuesday, and Michael has directed our attention to something interesting by e.e. cummings. It’s a bit offensive.

i sing of Olaf glad and big

whose warmest heart recoiled at war:

a conscientious object-or

his wellbelovéd colonel(trig

westpointer most succinctly bred)

took erring Olaf soon in hand;

but–though an host of overjoyed

noncoms(first knocking on the head

him)do through icy waters roll

that helplessness which others stroke

with brushes recently employed

anent this muddy toiletbowl,

while kindred intellects evoke

allegiance per blunt instruments–

Olaf(being to all intents

a corpse and wanting any rag

upon what God unto him gave)

responds,without getting annoyed

“I will not kiss your [f-ing] flag”

straightway the silver bird looked grave

(departing hurriedly to shave) . . .

Read the rest here (It gets gross.)

I’m amazed at how many people seem to think that refusing to fight another a military power, that taking war off the table completely, is the best way for a nation’s government to conduct itself. Are these not some of the same people who riot over perceived injustice? I assume they want to maintain their comfort at all understood costs. They say each of us can live comfortably in our own homes, living as we wish, never believing the marauders wish to live comfortably in someone else’s home.