CHAMPDERVES

HOLDFASTTODREAMSFORIFDREAMSDIELIFEISABROKENWINGEDBIRDTHATCANNOTFLY. HOLDFASTTODREAMSFORWHENDREAMSGOLIFEISABARRENFIELDFROZENWITH SNOW.LANGSTONHUGHES

I
WITHLAUGHTERAND CHEER.

ASLEEPTHECHILDFELL NIGHTCASTITSSPELL; THEANGELSFELTNEAR

HERWATCHMOTHERWAS KEEPING: "HOWSWEET,MYDEAR CHILD, WASYOURSMILENOW WHILESLEEPING" ITGREWWITHTHEYEARS, TILLGONEWERETHETEARS; ASLEEPTHECHILDFELL, WHILETHOUGHTSCASTTHEIRSPELL. ANGELSVIGILWEREKEEPING, THETHOUGHTSTOOKANDWHISPERED: "HAVEPEACENOW,WHILESLEEPING!"

 Strangeasitmayseem,Istillhopefor thebest,eventhoughthebest,likean interestingpieceofmail,sorarely arrives,andevenwhenitdoesitcanbelostso easily.Beofgoodcheer.Donotthinkof today'sfailures,butofthesuccessthatmay cometomorrow,asKhaliftoldmeonce,the futureisalwaysbiggerthanthepast.Youhave setyourselvesadifficulttask,butyouwill succeedifyoupersevere;andyouwillfindajoyinovercomingobstacles.Remember,no effortthatwemaketoattainsomethingbeautifuliseverlost,onlythatduringthedryyears thepeopleforgotabouttherichyears,andduringthewetyearstheylostallmemoryofthe dryyears.Itwasalwaysthatway.SoDonotletyourfiregoout,sparkbyirreplaceablespark inthehopelessswapsofthenotquite,thenotyet,andthenotatall.Donotletthesoul drowninlonelyfrustrationforthelifeyoudeservedandhaveneverbeenabletoreach.The worldyoudesirecanbewon.Itexists...Itisreal...butbewary,bewaryofThemanwho refusestojudge,whoneitheragreesnordisagrees,whodeclaresthatthereareno absolutesandbelievesthatheescapesresponsibility,thatisthemanresponsibleforallthe bloodthatisnowspilledintheworld.Realityisanabsolute,existenceisanabsolute,aspeck ofdustisanabsoluteandsoisahumanlife.Whetheryouliveordieisanabsolute.Whether youhaveapieceofbreadornot,isanabsolute.Whetheryoueatyourbreadorseeitvanish intoalooter'sbelly,isanabsolute. Therearetwosidestoeverything:onesideisrightandtheotheriswrong,butthemiddleis alwaysevil.Themanwhoiswrongstillretainssomerespectfortruth,ifonlybyaccepting theresponsibilityofchoice.Butthemaninthemiddleistheknavewhoblanksoutthetruth inordertopretendthatnochoiceorvaluesexist,whoiswillingtositoutthecourseofany battle,willingtocashinonthebloodoftheinnocentortocrawlonhisbellytotheguilty, whodispensesjusticebycondemningboththerobberandtherobbed,whosolvesconflicts byorderingthethinkerandthefooltomeeteachotherhalfway.Inanycompromise betweenfoodandpoison,itisonlydeaththatcanwin.Inanycompromisebetweengood andevil,itisonlyevilthatcanprofit.

II

III

ROSEofallRoses,RoseofalltheWorld! Thetallthoughtwovensails,thatflapunfurled Abovethetideofhours,troubletheair, AndGodsbellbuoyedtobethewaterscare; Whilehushedfromfear,orloudwithhope,aband Withblown,spraydabbledhairgatherathand. Turnifyoumayfrombattlesneverdone, Icall,astheygobymeonebyone, Dangernorefugeholds,andwarnopeace, Forhimwhohearslovesingandnevercease, Besidehercleanswepthearth,herquietshade: Butgatherallforwhomnolovehathmade Awovensilence,orbutcametocast Asongintotheair,andsingingpast Tosmileonthepaledawn;andgatheryou Whohavesoughtmorethanisinrainordew Orinthesunandmoon,orontheearth, Orsighsamidthewanderingstarrymirth, Orcomesinlaughterfromtheseassadlips; AndwageGodsbattlesinthelonggreyships. Thesad,thelonely,theinsatiable, TothisOldNightshallallhermysterytell; Godsbellhasclaimedthembythelittlecry Oftheirsadhearts,thatmaynotlivenordie. RoseofallRoses,RoseofalltheWorld! You,too,havecomewherethedimtidesarehurled Uponthewharvesofsorrow,andheardring Thebellthatcallsuson;thesweetfarthing. Beautygrownsadwithitseternity Madeyouofus,andofthedimgreysea. Ourlongshipsloosethoughtwovensailsandwait, ForGodhasbidthemshareanequalfate; AndwhenatlastdefeatedinHiswars, Theyhavegonedownunderthesamewhitestars, Weshallnolongerhearthelittlecry Ofoursadhearts,thatmaynotlivenordie. W.B.Y.

IV

Onapalechokedday. ThepeeringsunSeeswhathasbeendone. Shewalksinbeautyontheroadunderthetrees. Shebademewelcome; Yetmysouldrewback, Guiltyofdustandsin. Sweetlyquestioning,ifIlackedanything. Alas!Attainmentnevercountedsweeter Allbyallanddeepbydeep andmorebymore,Idreamtmysleep, shetookmyhand,andsmilingdidask, 'Youmustsitdown',shesaid,'andtastemymeat.' SoIdidsitandeat. Shelaughedmyjoyasshecriedmygrief ThroughmywoundsLightenteredme, Likenightmyfaultsshedidcover. Someonemarriedtheireveryone, laughedtheircryinganddidtheirdance OnedayanyonediedIguess littlebylittleandwasbywas. MybelovedAshalul

Italwaysishardertobeleftbehindthantobethe onetogo Itisdestinytoloveandsaygoodbye Everymeetingledtoaparting,andsoitwill, Aslongaslifeismortal. Ineverymeetingthereisthesorrowofparting, Ineverypartingthereisthejoyofmeetingaswell. Don'tbedismayed,afarewellisnecessarybeforeyoucan meetagain. Theendofsomethingisnotalwaysafailure. Sometimesalltheloveintheworldisnotenoughtosave something. Itisnotamatteroffaultfromeitherperson. Somethingscannotbe,it'sassimpleasthat. Andmeetingagain,aftermomentsorlifetimes, iscertainforthosewhoarefriends.

VI

It'strue,Iamafraidofdying.Iamafraidoftheworldmovingforward withoutme,ofmyabsencegoingunnoticed,orworse,isitselfish?Am IsuchabadpersonfordreamingofaworldthatendswhenIdo?I don'tmeantheworldendingwithrespecttome,buteverysetofeyesclosing withmine.Whyareyouleavingme?Idonotknowhowtolive,Idonotknow eitherbutIamtrying,Idonotknowhowtotry.ThereweresomethingsIwanted totellbutIknewtheywouldhurt,soIburiedthemandletthemhurtme.Soon enoughthebruisesgoaway,andsodoeshowyouhate,andsodoesthefeeling thateverythingyoureceivefromlifeissomethingyouhaveearned.Assuchtime passedmebylikeahandwavingfromatrainIwantedtobeon.Ihopeyounever havetothinkaboutanythingasmuchasI thinkaboutyou,Ithought.Ineverconfused whatIhadwithwhatIwasthough,thathad alwaysbeenmyproblem,missingwhatI alreadyhave,andIsurroundmyselfwith thingsthataremissing,It'sthetragedyof loving,youcan'tloveanythingmorethan somethingyoumiss.Doesitbreakmyheart, ofcourse,intomorepieceseverymomentof everyday,Ineverthoughtofmyselfasquiet, muchlesssilent,Ineverthoughtaboutthings atall,everythingchanged,thedistancethat wedgeditselfbetweenmeandmyhappinesswasn'ttheworld,itwasn'tthe bombsandburningbuildings,itwasme,mythinking,thecancerofneverletting go,isignorancebliss,Idon'tknow,butit'ssopainfultothink,andtellme,what didthinkingeverdoforme,towhatgreatplacedidthinkingeverbringme?Ithink andthinkandthink,I'vethoughtmyselfoutofhappinessonemilliontimes,but neveronceintoit,Iwouldtellyouthat.Iregretthatittakesalifetolearnhowto livedontaskmewhydidn'tIlearntotreateverythinglikeitwasthelasttime.My greatestregretwashowmuchIbelievedinthefuture,themistakesI'vemadeare deadtome.ButIcan'ttakebackthethingsIneverdid.TOUTESTILLUMIN

VII

TheTrueGentlemanisthemanwhoseconduct proceedsfromgoodwillandanacutesenseof propriety,andwhoseselfcontrolisequaltoall emergencies;whodoesnotmakethepoormanconsciousofhis poverty,theobscuremanofhisobscurity,oranymanofhis inferiorityordeformity;whoishimselfhumbledifnecessitycompels himtohumbleanother;whodoesnotflatterwealth,cringebefore power,orboastofhisownpossessionsorachievements;whospeaks withfranknessbutalwayswithsincerityandsympathy;whosedeed followshisword;whothinksoftherightsandfeelingsofothers, ratherthanhisown;andwhoappearswellinanycompany,aman withwhomhonourissacredandvirtuesafe.

J.W.W

Wouldonerathergowronginone'sownway thangorightinsomeoneelse's?Afterall,we dogrowup,andoutofidealsshatteredinto fragments;andifonehasnootherlife,theytrytobuildonefromthe dustandashesofwokendreams,theirsoulscravingandlongingfor somethingelse.Invaindoesthedreamerrummageaboutinhisold dreams,rakingovertheheapofcinders,insearchofasparktofana flame,andrevivethatheldsodearbefore,allthattouchedhisheart thatmadehisbloodcoursethroughhisveins,thatdrewtearsfrom hiseyes,andthatsosplendidlydeceivedhim!Turnthoughtsfrom unfortunatepastdearone,wemustlooktowardsdaystocomeand embracethem,Someactscannotbeavoidedwhenstrippedof choice,wedontgetwhatwedesire,yet herewestandelevated.Hushnow,the memorywillfadewithtime,asallthings bornofmisfortune,yetDecisionmustbe givenbirthtoquickly,lestopportunitybe aborted.Whensmokeclearsandtheambers die,sosumsthetotalofamanslife.

VIII

Inasmuch,enjoythepowerandbeautyofyouryouth.Butoh,nevermind. Youwillnotunderstandthepowerandbeautyofyouryouthuntilthey've faded.Trustme,in20years,you'lllookbackatphotosofyourselfand recallinawayyoucan'tgraspnowhowmuchpossibilitylaybeforeyou andhowfabulousyoureallylooked.Youarenotasfatasyouimagine.Don'tworryabout thefuture.Worryingisaseffectiveastryingtosolveanalgebraequationbychewingbubble gum.Therealtroublesinyourlifeareapttobethingsthatnevercrossedyourworriedmind, thekindthatblindsideyouat1p.m.onsomeidleWednesday.Sothat'showweliveour lives.Nomatterhowdeepandfataltheloss,nomatterhowimportantthethingthat's stolenfromusthat'ssnatchedrightoutofourhandsevenifweareleftcompletely changed,withonlytheouterlayerofskinfrombefore,wecontinuetoplayoutourlivesthis way,insilence.Wedrawevernearertotheendofourallottedspanoftime,biddingit farewellasittrailsoffbehind.Repeating,oftenadroitly,theendlessdeedsoftheeveryday. Leavingbehindafeelingofimmeasurableemptiness.AssuchIhavediscoveredthatmy obsessionforhavingeachthingintherightplace,eachsubjectattherighttime,eachword intherightstyle,wasnotthewelldeservedrewardofanorderedmindbutjustthe opposite:acompletesystemofpretenseinventedbymetohidethedisorderofmynature.I discoveredthatIamnotdisciplinedoutofvirtuebutasareactiontomynegligence,thatI appeargenerousinordertoconcealmymeanness,thatIpassmyselfoffasprudentbecause Iamevilminded,thatIamconciliatoryinordernottosuccumbtomyrepressedrage,thatI ampunctualonlytohidehowlittleIcareaboutotherpeoplestime.Ihopethatloveisnota signofthezodiacbutaconditionofthespirit

IX

Iwaittofeeltheoldyeargo. Thissobermoment,sadlyfraught Withmuchofblame,withlittlepraise. OldYear!UpontheStageofTimeyoustand, Bowlastadieu; Curtainsdown,yourmienissad, Yourstepisslow; Turn,OldYear,beforeyougo, Faceyouraudienceagain. Letusallread,whateverthecost: O!Whythatbittertear? Isitforadearonelost? Isitforafondillusiongone? Fortrustedloversbetrayal? AndsofromfacetofaceIflutter, Thecountlesseyesthatstare Somearewithcommendation, Andsomeareshadowedwithdespair. Someasmileandsomeafrown; Somejoyandhope,somepainandwoe: Enough!Oh,ringthecurtaindown! Oldwearyyear!Itstimetogo Butonceagain,beforeyougo, OldYear!Apartingwordthat'strue, Forwe'vebeencomrades,youandI, IthankGodforeachdayofyou; GoodbyeOldfriend, 30/12/2013PASSINGOFTHEYEAR

The world is to be lived in And left the way it is. It has Many interesting things and Other intricacies that have Defeated rulers and brave men To grasp. It cannot be easily Sat on like the potties for the Identical twins. However, when Fate of the world hands you a Lemon, accept it, but try to squeeze Lemonade and then, youll be able to Quench your thirst somehow