Best Poem: "I am captain of my soul"

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. William Ernest Henley Commentary The title for the movie “Invictus” is the same as one of William Ernest Henley’s poems. The movie is about Nelson Mandela’s rise from being a prisoner to the president of his country. He showed by the way he lived his life that he was the “master of his fate” and “captain of his soul.” As president, he turned enemies into friends, and treated both black and white as one big family, during a very trying post-apartied time. Both movie and poem have many levels of meaning, but the foundation for both is courage. Without the courage of our convictions, and the courage to follow our dreams, who are we? How much can we contribute to society? This seems like a superb poem to memorize and chant to ourselves when we feel courage lacking in our lives to do the right thing.

Best Internet: You Might As Well Dance!

'I Hope You Dance... '

This was written by an 83-year-old woman to her friend.

*The last line says it all. *

Dear Bertha,

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now

I'm not sure what others would've done had they known they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever their favorite food was.

I'm guessing; I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special.

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

Why not take a few minutes to send this to a few people you care about, just to let them know that you're thinking of them?

"People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there."

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance

Best Internet: "Slow" Grandparents?

I certainly don't like the word "retarded" when used with people, but this is funny, and it's certainly not the first time around that I have seen it...

"RETARDED" GRANDPARENTS ...Written by a third grader, on what his grandparents do.

After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school. One child wrote the following:
             
We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.  They used to live in a big brick house with a dog and kitty, but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Arizona.

Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass and no pets allowed.  They ride around on their bicycles, and wear name tags, because they don't know who they are anymore.  They go to a building called a wreck center, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now, they do exercises there, but they don't do them very well.  There is a swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with hats on.  At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it.  He watches all day so nobody can escape.

Sometimes they sneak out, and go cruising in their golf carts.  Nobody there cooks, they just eat out.  And they eat the same thing every night - early birds.   Some of the people can't get out past the man in the little doll house.  The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center for pot luck.  

My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and; says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too.  

When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house.  Then I will let people out, so they can visit their grandchildren.

PRICELESS!

Forward to all your “slow” grandparent friends.  Or just your “slow” friends.  

Best Internet: Should Men Retire?

 After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her 

 trips to Target. 

 Unfortunately, like  most men, I found shopping boring and 

 preferred to get in and get  out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is like 

 most women - she loves  to browse. 

Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the 

 local Target: 

Dear Mrs. Clifton 

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a 

 commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have 

 been forced to ban both of you  from the store. Our complaints against 

 your husband, Mr. Clifton,  are listed below and are documented by our 

 video surveillance cameras: 

1. June 15: He took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them 

 in other people's  carts when they weren't looking.

 2. July 2: Set all  the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 

 5-minute intervals. 

3. July 7: He made a trail from a jar of brown gravy on the floor leadin

 to the both the ladies and men's restrooms. 

 4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an 

 official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away'. This 

 caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a 

 reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union 

 grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company 

 money. 

 5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of 

 M&Ms on layaway. 

 6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted 

 area. 

 7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping  department and told 

 the children shoppers he'd invite them in if  they would bring pillows 

 and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children 

 obliged. 

 8.  August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he 

 began  crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' 

  EMTs were called. 

9.. September 4: Looked right into  the security camera and used 

 it as a mirror while he picked his  nose. 

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting 

department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants  were. 

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously, while 

loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible'  theme. 

12. October 6: In the auto department, he  practiced his 

'Madonna look' by using different sizes of  funnels. 

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and  when people browsed 

through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!' 

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud 

speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!' 

And last, but not  least: 

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room,  shut the door, waited 

awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey!  There's no toilet paper in 

here.' One of the clerks passed out.  

  

If you don't share this site with 12 of your dearest friends, your 

property taxes will go up, your stocks will go  down, and your middle 

will spread. (How's that for a curse?!?)  What? It's already come true? 

Then share it anyway--you've got nothing' to lose!  

Free Kid Poetry Contest Winner!

Each month of I have a free Monthly Poetry Contest for kids all around the world. The boy above, Sehen Dilkush Gamhewa has won three times. He's a young and gifted poet. He has his own web page, too. As long as my website exists, all winning poems will be in my archives to read and enjoy once again. And, of course, the winner has bragging rights. That is to say, any poet that wins the monthly contest should feel very proud of himself or herself. Congratulations, Sehen!

---

Poetry Contest Winners

December Poetry Winner:
Christmas Alphabet
by Sehen Dilkush Gamhewa
Lyceum International School — Nugegoda
Country: Sri Lanka

Christmas Alphabet

All of us are waiting for this day
Bells are ringing all over
Candy bars everyone gets
Delighted children run everywhere
Everyone celebrates this special day
Feeling happiness all around
Getting a lots of presents
Houses are decorated
In and out people go
Jesus, the Christ child was born on this special day
Keeping a lot of glory
Lighted candles illuminate houses
Making cards for everyone
No end of happiness
Opening presents and being surprised
People are pleasant
Quietly huddled at night
Rejoicing this day
Sharing gifts with others
Talking excitedly
Unforgettable day
Very beautiful sceneries are everywhere
Winter is coming
X-mas trees stand in the house
Young and old enjoy this day
Zeal we show at this time


(Joe's commentary: Congratulations to Sehen Dilkush Gamhewa. He is a three-time contest winner! The above alphabet poem certainly has the spirit of Christmas built right into it! It's quite a challenge to write such a long poem. Sehen has done a superb job! Thank you, Sehen.))

Best of the Internet: Keeper

Keeper *************** I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away..  I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things.. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep. It was a way of life, and  sometimes it made me crazy.. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. But then my father died, and on that clear winter's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return.. So... while we have it..... it's best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it's broken......... and heal it when it's sick. This is true. for marriage....... and old cars..... and children with bad report cards..... and dogs with bad hips.... and aging parents..... and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we         are worth it.  Some things we keep. Like a   best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with. There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special........ and so, we keep them close! I received this from someone who thinks I am a 'keeper', so I've sent it to the people I think of in the same way... Now it's your turn to send this to those people that are "keepers" in your life.  Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.  Keep them close!

Back-Pocket Poetry

What follows is the beginning of a wonderful poetry lesson by a talented inner city teacher, Matt Amaral; it's his lesson, experience, and introductory paragraph. The connection for the whole article is below the next paragraph.

"Looking back on the year so far, I’ve decided to write about some of the best lessons I’ve done in the hopes it will give you ideas you can use in your own classrooms. I’ve made a category for it called “Lesson Plans.” My plan is to fill it with lessons that went well in my English classroom where the students were completely engaged, and the end product was something we could all be proud of."


http://www.teach4real.com/2010/12/25/back-pocket-poetry/