Dawn (1899)
An angel robed in spotless white
Bent down and kissed the sleeping night.
Night woke to blush; the sprite was gone.
Men saw the blush and called it dawn.
…Paul Laurence Dunbar
Inaptly Named
It has been observed that the surname of composer Johann Sebastian Bach means “brook” in German, whereas he was a veritable ocean.
Religion and Politics
The surest evidence that the country of Turkey is reverting to Islam is its current apathy to the state of Israel
That’s Progress
Science is resourceful. It couldn’t open a day coach window, so it air-conditioned the train.
From My Persian Dictionary
Párchah: cloth
Bazzáz: cloth merchant
Karanful: clove
Kanár: coast
Private Conversation
Edo was bending Bedo’s ear while attending a play in the theater, when the man in front turned to Edo and said, “Excuse me, but we can’t hear a word.” Edo replied, “And is it any business of yours what I’m telling my friend?”
What’s in a Name?
Hampartsoumian: Armenian in derivation, identified as a descriptive term, Hampartsoum is defined as Ascension of Jesus Christ. Hamparian is a common variation of the name, and diminutives are Hampar and Hampig, the latter being of curious interest to Odars.
Christmas Days:
Christmastide*
Christmas days…givers of hopes
For those who lost all and every hope.
Christmas days are unneeded luxury
For those who have sweet…jewels…toys…
Unmeasurable many…many
Christmas days are sad and grim
For those…away from
Motherlands and their beloveds.
Christmas days are happy- hearty-joys
For those who are sick, wishing forth to live.
Christmas days will come and leave
And hopes are change confused beliefs—
Clear hatreds of many types
Hatred condensed through centuries.
Christmas day is another day
Hopes for each breath
To breathe cheerfully sanding griefs
Yet…more soreness never to heave.
December 2010
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*Christmastide: the season of Christmas extending from Dec 24
( Christmas Eve) to January 6 (the festival of the Epiphany or Twelfth Night)