Saturday, March 17, 2012

St. Patrick's Guest Post

(from Atticus):

In keeping with tradition, here's a little Joyce to read along with your green milk or Guinness or Smithwick's or Jameson's, whatever time zone you're in:

April 16. Away! Away!
The spell of arms and voices: the white arms of roads, their promise of close embraces and the black arms of tall ships that stand against the moon, their tale of distant nations. They are held out to say: We are alone—come. And the voices say with them: We are your kinsmen. And the air is thick with their company as they call to me, their kinsman, making ready to go, shaking the wings of their exultant and terrible youth.
April 26. Mother is putting my new secondhand clothes in order. She prays now, she says, that I may learn in my own life and away from home and friends what the heart is and what it feels. Amen. So be it. Welcome, O life, I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.
April 27. Old father, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead.
-- from Joyce, of course 


2 comments:

Marcia said...

Karen, you speak to my heart, Girl, and I could be your mother! You and your dear Atticus have such wisdom! Blessings on St. Paddy's Day! (actually, we tried the Guiness in Ireland, neither V nor I liked it, but the Smithwicks and Jameson are goooood.....I'm impressed A knew all about them)

Marcia said...

Karen, you speak to my heart, Girl, and I could be your mother! You and your dear Atticus have such wisdom! Blessings on St. Paddy's Day! (actually, we tried the Guiness in Ireland, neither V nor I liked it, but the Smithwicks and Jameson are goooood.....I'm impressed A knew all about them)