Althouse: Poppies.

June 2, 2015

Poppies.

In a garden, near where we live.

16 comments:

garage mahal said...: A bit surprised we haven't seen any posts on the drastic changes to Wisconsin statutes regarding tenure, shared governance, and the 250 million dollar cut. Or maybe you don't want to speak an opinion in lieu of these r3cently changes.

Enough heavy stuff, what are the latest rumors about the Clintons?; 6/2/15, 9:23 PM
garage mahal said...: *recent; 6/2/15, 9:23 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Garage, the only thing better than you losing your job would be Althouse losing her job, so I'm not sure what you think she thinks about that but you sure seem to intend to get her to say something.. What would that be?; 6/2/15, 9:49 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Last call, gents!; 6/2/15, 10:04 PM
Interesting,not crazy said...: Regarding those cuts mentioned by Garage: Bruce Jenner still has a pecker. That makes him a transvestite, am I right? Does he have implants, or just make-up for tits?; 6/2/15, 10:04 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Sure sure the colors are pretty, but is pretty color?

Uh oh.; 6/2/15, 10:08 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: IS "pretty" A WORD?

WHAT ABOUT pretty UNWORDS THEN?; 6/2/15, 10:11 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: pret·ty
ˈpridē/
adjective
1.
attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful or handsome.
"a pretty little girl with an engaging grin"
synonyms: attractive, lovely, good-looking, nice-looking, personable, fetching, prepossessing, appealing, charming, delightful, cute, as pretty as a picture; More
antonyms: plain, ugly
informal
used ironically in expressions of annoyance or disgust.
"it is a pretty state of affairs when a young fellow prefers the company of Italian fiddlers to taking possession of his own first command"
adverbinformal
adverb: pretty
1.
to a moderately high degree; fairly.
"he looked pretty fit for his age"
synonyms: quite, rather, somewhat, fairly, reasonably, comparatively, relatively
"a pretty large sum"
nouninformal
noun: pretty; plural noun: pretties
1.
an attractive thing, typically a pleasing but unnecessary accessory.
"he buys her lots of pretties—bangles and rings and things"
used to refer in a condescending way to an attractive person, usually a girl or a woman.
"six pretties in sequined leotards"
verb
verb: pretty; 3rd person present: pretties; past tense: prettied; past participle: prettied; gerund or present participle: prettying
1.
make pretty or attractive.
"she'll be all prettied up and ready to go in an hour"
synonyms: ::

wHat y'all been Cunting ,me with?

Fer Fucks sake.; 6/2/15, 10:14 PM
Clyde said...: In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

by John McCrae (1872-1918)

This poem was written almost exactly 100 years ago, in May of 1915, during a war that we now look back on as having been rather stupid and pointless, creating many more problems than it solved. I visited the National World War I Museum in Kansas City last year, walking through exhibits of the distant past, seeing the first application of war on an industrial scale. The men who fought that war are long gone. The poppies remain. A century from now, after we have left the stage, the poppies will still be there.; 6/2/15, 10:32 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Marieke, by Jacques Brel.; 6/2/15, 11:09 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: "Poppies." In a garden, near where we live.

Thanks for ratting out your neighbors. The DEA is on the way.; 6/3/15, 12:16 AM
virgil xenophon said...: @Clyde/

Nice comments, Clyde, thanks..

"...If ye break faith with us who die We shall not
sleep..."

I guess after Obama undid all the progress we made in Iraq/AF there are lots of restless souls in Arlington these days...what a waste of human potential...tossed away for nothing in the bargain..; 6/3/15, 2:45 AM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Clyde, to your valuable remarks I must retort only this, that people who call WWI the first "X" war - modern, industrial, total, many adjectives - often fail to recognize the unfortunate leadership provided by the United States, or as one might say, the Union and the Confederacy, in the 1861-1865 interlude known by many names including the American Civil War. Europeans are most likely to succumb as they seem incapable of learning from others.; 6/3/15, 7:43 AM
Hagar said...: Europeans are not the only ones.
The situation now looks a lot like around 1910. Obama has abandoned "Pax Americana," and we are looking at number of regional alliances forming around the globe, seeking protection against each other. It is a very unstable situation.; 6/3/15, 8:38 AM
Bad Lieutenant said...: On the bright side, perhaps there can be another horrible World War, out of which we will resolutly stay this time, and come to pick up the pieces after everyone has smashed each other, give our economy a boost. I suppose if we have a few special friends somewhere we could slip them some missile defense, NVGs, etc., but ultimately the whole idea presupposes that we don't give a damn.

Hagar, I specifically meant that the European nations learned nothing from the American Civil War, but yes, amnesia is breaking out all over. I bet the Chinese are looking forward to a short victorious war too.; 6/3/15, 2:26 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: for the record, it is not I but Android voice to text that misspelled "resolutely."; 6/3/15, 2:26 PM