Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:19 pm
I think we could adapt this last line to "they also serve who only sit and parse."They also serve who only stand and wait.
I think we could adapt this last line to "they also serve who only sit and parse."They also serve who only stand and wait.
How about a little John Milton? It's not Old English, but it's old.
On His Blindness
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide,
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.
Don't know why it is there twice, another computerI think we could adapt this last line to "they also serve who only sit and parse."They also serve who only stand and wait.
Milton is one of my favorite poets of that era, along with John Donne.WOW!
I had almost forgotten that one.
Why is it amazing? He is free from all distractions.It's amazing to me that Milton wrote Paradise Lose while blind (dictated it, actually). All 10,576 lines
Could you write 10,000+ lines of iambic pentameter in the dark?Why is it amazing? He is free from all distractions.
I could dictate 10,000+ lines, not of lambic pentameter though. But I don't know if his being blind makes it that much more impressive. Maybe I'm wrong--I don't know, because I'm not blind myself. Are you?Could you write 10,000+ lines of iambic pentameter in the dark?Why is it amazing? He is free from all distractions.
Could you dictate 10,000+ complex sentences, then go back and reduce them all? That's what I imagine writing poetry blind would be like.I could dictate 10,000+ lines, not of lambic pentameter though.
Yes, but I have a good flashlight.I'm not blind myself. Are you?
I could. But that doesn't mean that I would or that the 'complex' sentences would be any good.Could you dictate 10,000+ complex sentences, then go back and reduce them all? That's what I imagine writing poetry blind would be like.
What are you responding to here?But I might change my mind if we made it all inclusive. Everyone plays according to some set of rules.