the running water home of living fish and silver of the sun
The mountains stand up around the main street m Harper’s Ferry Shadows stand around the town, and mist creeps up the flanks of tall rocks
A terrible push of waters sometime made a cloven way for their flood here
On the main street the houses huddle, the walls crouch for cover And yet— up at Hilltop House, or up on Jefferson’s Rock, there are lookouts.
There are the long curves of the meeting of the Potomac and the Shenandoah,
There is the running water home of living fish and silver of the sun The lazy flat rocks spread out browns for green and blue silver to run over
Mascots of silver circles move around Harper’s Ferry No wonder John Brown came here to fight and be hanged No wonder Thomas Jefferson came here to sit with his proud red head writing notes on the great State of Virginia Borders hem the town, borders of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Be absent minded a minute or two and you guess at what state you are in
Harper’s Ferry is a meeting place of winds and waters, rocks and ranges
Landscapes Including States of the Union by Carl Sandburg as publishing Good Morning America in The Complete Poems of Carl Sandburg (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1950).
Yes I went for the one line, There is the running water home of living fish and silver of the sun, to go with my photograph of Horse Creek on Hilton Head Island.
It is not Harper’s Ferry.
This is Harper’s Ferry with me on Jefferson’s Rock and my brother Eddie standing in front of me.
As Mr. Sandburg writes:
or up on Jefferson’s Rock, there are lookouts.
No wonder Thomas Jefferson came here to sit with his proud red head writing notes on the great State of Virginia.
I have to point out that visitiors are no longer allowed to sit of stand on Jefferson’s rock.
Today there are guard rails to protect the rock.
In Jefferson’s day there were no were upright stone post to keep the rock in place.
BUT I DIGRESS.
My photo is of the sun over Horse Creek in the center of Hilton Head Island.
Miles from anywhere and miles from anywhere.
Be absent minded a minute or two and you guess at what state you are in.
define a tyrant … man unfit to be ruler of a free people
In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress, in the most humble terms. Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.
A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Declaration of Independence, In Congress, July 4, 1776.
Ms. Schiff then takes note of 27 of the grievances and applies them to today, writing, In 2026 they also feel miserably familiar.
Ms. Schiff writes, The Declaration cannot be said to be having a happy semiquincentennial. Very little about the document feels remotely self-evident today.
She ends her piece with this line.
At the end of his inventory of abuses and usurpations, Jefferson slips in a zinger: “A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
The new nation went on to create a Constitution so that the Nation might live and through that Constitution, our three branches of Government were set up as a system of Checks and Balances.
A system of Balance that required activity from all three Branches.
Those guys in Philadelphia never considered that two of the three branches would go AWOL.
the nice and exact appreciation of words express full meaning
Knowledge of a language is measured by the nice and exact appreciation of words.
There is no more important element in the technique of rhetoric than the continual employment of the best possible word.
Whatever part of speech it is it must in each case absolutely express the full meaning of the speaker. It will leave no room for alternatives.
Words exist in virtue of no arbitrary rule but have been evolved by the taste and experience of mankind and the instinct of language is implanted very deeply in the human character.
From the essay, The Scaffolding of Rhetoric by Winston Churchill, about which his son, Randolph wrote:
In this prescient essay the 23-year-old Churchill asks: is “the force” of an orator a born quality? Not quite, he concludes: “…rhetorical power is neither wholly bestowed nor wholly acquired, but cultivated.” Yet the speaker displays his deepest feelings before his audience: “Before he can inspire them with any emotion he must be swayed by it himself. When he would rouse their indignation his heart is filled with anger. Before he can inspire them with any emotion he must be swayed by it himself.”
From The Churchill Documents, vol. 2, Young Soldier, 1896-1901 edited by Randolph S. Churchill(Hillsdale College Press, 2006, 816-21).
Charles III spoke in Congress this past week.
Everywhere he went afterward, people thanked him for his speech.
We needed to hear that people shouted to the King.
I found the speech very refreshing.
Instead of a bunch of statements, more or less spilled out as the ideas came to the speaker, here was a speech, laid out, constructed from start to finish.
A nice and exact appreciation of words.
And delivered very nicely too as I remember working with a news director who always wanted captioning used anytime Charles spoke.
Words are wonderful.
Words can be used wonderfully.
I miss them in public life.
Here is the text of HRH speech:
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of Congress, representatives of the American people across all states, territories, cities, and communities.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my particular gratitude to you all for the great honor of addressing this joint meeting of Congress and, on behalf of the queen and myself, to thank the American people for welcoming us to the United States to mark this semi-quincentennial year of the Declaration of Independence.
“And for all of that time, our destinies as nations have been interlinked. As Oscar Wilde said, ‘We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.’
“Ladies and gentlemen, we meet in times of great uncertainty; in times of conflict from Europe to the Middle East, which pose immense challenges for the international community and whose impact is felt in communities the length and breadth of our own countries.
“We meet, too, in the aftermath of the incident not far from this great building that sought to harm the leadership of your nation and to foment wider fear and discord.
“Let me say with unshakeable resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed. Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries.
“Standing here today, it is hard not to feel the weight of history on my shoulder — because the modern relationship between our two nations and our own peoples spans not merely 250 years, but over four centuries. It is extraordinary to think that I am the 19th in our line of sovereigns to study, with daily attention, the affairs of America.
“So, I come here today with the highest respect for the United States Congress, this citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all American people to advance sacred rights and freedoms.
“Speaking in this renowned chamber of debate and deliberation, I cannot help but think of my late mother, Queen Elizabeth, who, in 1991, was also afforded this signal honor and similarly spoke under the watchful eye of the Statue of Freedom above us. Today I am here on this great occasion in the life of our nations to express the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States.
“As you may know, when I address my own Parliament at Westminster, we still follow an age-old tradition and take a member of Parliament ‘hostage,’ holding him or her at Buckingham Palace until I am safely returned. These days, we look after our ‘guest’ rather well – to the point that they often do not want to leave. I don’t know, Mr. Speaker, if there were any volunteers for that role here today?
“As I look back across the centuries, Mr. Speaker, there emerge certain patterns, certain self-evident truths from which we can learn and draw mutual strength.
“With the spirit of 1776 in our minds, we can perhaps agree that we do not always agree – at least in the first instance. Indeed, the very principle on which your Congress was founded – no taxation without representation – was at once a fundamental disagreement between us, and at the same time a shared democratic value which you inherited from us.
“Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it, so perhaps, in this example, we can discern that our nations are in fact instinctively like-minded – a product of the common democratic, legal and social traditions in which our governance is rooted to this day.
“Drawing on these values and traditions, time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together. And by Jove, Mr. Speaker, when we have found that way to agree, what great change is brought about – not just for the benefit of our peoples, but of all peoples.
“This, I believe, is the special ingredient in our relationship. As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, ‘The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable.’
“This is by no means my first visit to Washington DC – the capital of this great republic. It is in fact my 20th visit to the United States, and my first as King and head of the Commonwealth.
“This is a city which symbolizes a period in our shared history, or what Charles Dickens might have called ‘A Tale of Two Georges’: the first President, George Washington, and my five-times Great Grandfather, King George III. King George never set foot in America and, please rest assured, I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action.
“The Founding Fathers were bold and imaginative rebels with a cause. Two hundred and fifty years ago, or, as we say in the United Kingdom ‘just the other day,’ they declared Independence. By balancing contending forces and drawing strength in diversity, they united 13 disparate colonies to forge a nation on the revolutionary idea of ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ They carried with them, and carried forward, the great inheritance of the British Enlightenment – as well as the ideals which had an even deeper history in English common law and Magna Carta.
“These roots run deep, and they are still vital. Our Declaration of Rights of 1689 was not only the foundation of our constitutional monarchy, but also provided the source of so many of the principles reiterated, often verbatim, in the American Bill of Rights of 1791.
“And those roots go even further back in our history: the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society has calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least 160 Supreme Court cases since 1789, not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances.
“This is the reason why there stands a stone, by the River Thames at Runnymede where Magna Carta was signed in the year 1215. This stone records that an acre of that ancient and historic site was given to the United States of America by the people of the United Kingdom, to symbolize our shared resolve in support of liberty, and in memory of President John F. Kennedy.
“Distinguished members of the 119th Congress, it is here in these very halls that this spirit of liberty and the promise of America’s founders is present in every session and every vote cast.
“Not by the will of one, but by the deliberation of many, representing the living mosaic of the United States. In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today.
“And, Mr. Speaker, for many here – and for myself – the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally, but together as members of our community. Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding, it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness which I have found confirmed countless times.
“Through it I am inspired by the profound respect that develops as people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other. It is why it is my hope – my prayer – that, in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners, we can stem the beating of plowshares into swords.
“I am mindful that we are still in the season of Easter, the season that most strengthens my hope. It is why I believe, with all my heart, that the essence of our two nations is a generosity of spirit and a duty to foster compassion, to promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding and to value all people, of all faiths, and of none.
“The alliance that our two nations have built over the centuries, and for which we are profoundly grateful to the American people, is truly unique. And that alliance is part of what Henry Kissinger described as Kennedy’s ‘soaring vision’ of an Atlantic partnership based on twin pillars: Europe and America. That partnership, I believe Mr. Speaker, is more important today than it has ever been.
“The first reigning British sovereign to set foot in America was my grandfather, King George VI. He visited in 1939 with my beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The forces of fascism in Europe were on the march, and some time before the United States had joined us in the defense of freedom. Our shared values prevailed.
“Today, we find ourselves in a new era, but those values remain.
“It is an era that is, in many ways, more volatile and more dangerous than the world to which my late mother spoke, in this chamber, in 1991.
“The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone. But in this unpredictable environment, our alliance cannot rest on past achievements, or assume that foundational principles simply endure. As my Prime Minister said last month: ‘ours is an indispensable partnership. We must not disregard everything that has sustained us for the last eighty years. Instead, we must build on it.’
“Renewal today starts with security. The United Kingdom recognizes that the threats we face demand a transformation in British defense.
“That is why our country, in order to be fit for the future, has committed to the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War – during part of which, over 50 years ago, I served with immense pride in the Royal Navy, following in the naval footsteps of my father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; my grandfather, King George VI; my great uncle, Lord Mountbatten; and my great grandfather, King George V.
“This year, of course, also marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11. This atrocity was a defining moment for America and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world. During my visit to New York, my wife and I will again pay our respects to the victims, the families, and the bravery shown in the face of terrible loss. We stood with you then. And we stand with you now in solemn remembrance of a day that shall never be forgotten.
“In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when NATO invoked Article Five for the first time, and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror, we answered the call together – as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder, through two World Wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan and moments that have defined our shared security.
“Today, Mr. Speaker, that same, unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine and her most courageous people. It is needed in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace. From the depths of the Atlantic to the disastrously melting icecaps of the Arctic, the commitment and expertise of the United States Armed Forces and its allies lie at the heart of NATO, pledged to each other’s defense, protecting our citizens and interests, keeping North Americans and Europeans safe from our common adversaries.
“Our defense, intelligence and security ties are hard-wired together through relationships measured not in years, but in decades.
“Today, thousands of U.S. service personnel, defense officials and their families are stationed in the United Kingdom, as British personnel serve with equal pride across 30 American states. We are building F-35s together. And we have agreed the most ambitious submarine program in history, AUKUS, in partnership with Australia, a country of which I am also immensely proud to serve as sovereign.
“We do not embark on these remarkable endeavors together out of sentiment. We do so because they build greater shared resilience for the future, so making our citizens safer for generations to come.
“Our common ideals were not only crucial for liberty and equality, they are also the foundation of our shared prosperity. The rule of law: the certainty of stable and accessible rules, an independent judiciary resolving disputes and delivering impartial justice. These features created the conditions for centuries of unmatched economic growth in our two countries. This is why our governments are concluding new economic and technology agreements – to write the next chapter of our joint prosperity and ensure that British and American ingenuity continues to lead the world.
“Our nations are combining talent and resources in the technologies of tomorrow: our new partnerships in nuclear fusion and quantum computing, and in AI and drug discovery, holding the promise of saving countless lives.
“More broadly, we celebrate the 430 billion dollars in annual trade that continues to grow, the 1.7 trillion dollars in mutual investment that fuels that innovation, and the millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic supported across both economies. These are strong foundations on which to continue to build, for generations yet unborn.
“Our ties in education, research, and cultural exchange empower citizens and future leaders of both countries.
“The Marshall Scholarship, named after the great General George Marshall, and the Association of which I am so proud to be patron, are emblematic of the connection between our two countries.
“Since its founding, more than 2,300 scholarships have been awarded, opening doors for Americans from all walks of life to study at the United Kingdom’s leading universities.
“So as we look toward the next 250 years, we must also reflect on our shared responsibility to safeguard nature, our most precious and irreplaceable asset.
“Millennia before our nations existed, before any border drawn, the mountains of Scotland and Appalachia were one, a single, continuous range, forged in the ancient collision of continents.
“The natural wonders of the United States of America are indeed a unique asset, and generations of Americans have risen to this calling: indigenous, political and civic leaders, people in rural communities and cities alike, have all helped to protect and nurture what President Theodore Roosevelt called ‘the glorious heritage’ of this land’s extraordinary natural splendor, on which so much of its prosperity has always depended.
“Yet even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of critical natural systems which threatens far more than the harmony and essential diversity of nature. We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems, in other words, nature’s own economy, provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security.
“The story of the United Kingdom and the United States is, at its heart, a story of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership.
“From the bitter divisions of 250 years ago, we forged a friendship that has grown into one of the most consequential alliances in human history.
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance will continue to defend our shared values, with our partners in Europe and the Commonwealth, and across the world, and that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking.
“Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice-President, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, America’s words carry weight and meaning, as they have since Independence.
“The actions of this great nation matter even more.
“President Lincoln understood this so well, with his reflection in the magisterial Gettysburg Address that the world may little note what we say, but will never forget what we do.
“And so, to the United States of America, on your 250th birthday, let our two countries rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples and of all the peoples of the world.
“God bless the United States and God bless the United Kingdom.”
I don’t think they are unhinged when it comes to him … they’re duly alarmed
Adapted from the Opinion Column, I’m Not a King, but I Play One on TV as part of The Conversation by Frank Bruni and Bret Stephens where Mr. Bruni writes:
I don’t think most liberals are unhinged when it comes to Trump.
I think they’re duly alarmed.
And you can’t say liberals have “played the same game” when they haven’t mounted a comprehensive effort to overturn a presidential election — as Trump and his minions did in 2020 — and they weren’t breaking the windows of the Capitol, assaulting police officers and chanting for Mike Pence to be dragged to the gallows.
The Hopeless Quandry – Our New Natural History – James Thurber
ignorant of how they see, don’t see unless work very hard at it
Paul Cézanne – The Village of L’Estaque Seen from the Sea (Le village de l’Estaque vu de la mer)
Sprawled there by the creek and cautioning myself against my canteen whiskey I stared at the assortment of dead leaves that had gathered themselves in the spring, with some floating, a few suspended in the clear water, and the bottom of the spring pasted yellow and dull red with the others.
I had once tried to paint this phenomenon, unsuccessfully in the minds of others because it is not the sort of thing one can see clearly.
There was the odd thought, absent for years, that nearly everyone was ignorant of how they see, lost as they were in the attraction for the simplicity of photographs, which is not how anyone sees.
We don’t see all at once unless we work very hard at it.
When I first saw Cézanne’s work I was dumbstruck at his comprehension of true vision.
From True North by Jim Harrison (New York, Grove Press, 2004).
