Friday, July 4, 2014



_____ FIREWORKS _____

The fountains in the sky in brilliance burst
Over throngs who thrill as patterns spread
In radiant arms of glowing hues disbursed
Natant in the blackness overhead.
Deafening as any cannonade
Explosions follow soon the hiss and squeal --
Preliminaries to the star brigade
Erupting floridly, yet quite unreal.
Naumachia was naught compared to this
Delirium. Decorum’s cast aside.
Enraptured like Narcissus we know bliss,
Non sequitur to what’s seen nationwide.
Could joy we take in heaven’s fireworks
Earthbound hold us, while the Devil smirks?


~ FreeThinke - The Sandpiper - Summer 1996

18 comments:

  1. Interesting reference with Naumachia. Very appropriate as fireworks are supposed to imitate "the bombs bursting in air" -- over Fort McHenry, of course.

    Happy Independence Day! May America's celebrations today be safe.

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  2. A BELOVED RELIC from my CHILDHOOD

    You work and work for years and years,
    ____ you're always on the go
    You never take a minute off,
    ____ too busy makin' dough
    Someday you say, you'll have your fun,
    ____ when you're a millionaire
    Imagine all the fun you'll have
    ____ in your old rockin' chair

    Enjoy yourself,
    ____ it's later than you think
    Enjoy yourself,
    ____ while you're still in the pink
    The years go by,
    ____ as quickly as a wink
    Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself,
    ____ it's later than you think

    You're gonna take that ocean trip,
    ____ no matter come what may
    You've got your reservations made,
    ____ but you just can't get away
    Next year for sure, you'll see the world,
    ____ you'll really get around
    But how far can you travel
    ____ when you're six feet underground?

    Your heart of hearts, your dream of dreams,
    ____ your ravishing brunette
    She's left you and she's now become
    ____ somebody else's pet
    Lay down that gun, don't try my friend
    ____ to reach the great beyond
    You'll have more fun by reaching for
    ____ a redhead or a blonde

    Enjoy yourself,
    ____ it's later than you think
    Enjoy yourself,
    ____ while you're still in the pink
    The years go by,
    ____ as quickly as a wink
    Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself,
    ____ it's later than you think

    You never go to night clubs and
    ____ you just don't care to dance
    You don't have time for silly things
    ____ like moonlight and romance
    You only think of dollar bills
    ____ tied neatly in a stack
    But when you kiss a dollar bill,
    ____ it doesn't kiss you back

    Enjoy yourself,
    ____ it's later than you think
    Enjoy yourself,
    ____ while you're still in the pink
    The years go by,
    ____ as quickly as a wink
    Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself,
    ____ it's later than you think


    ~ Introduced by Guy Lombardo in 1949

    Once upon a time, Great Pearls of Wisdom dropped unexpectedly from the oddest sources. Today, we must delve into the Past to ferret them out.

    HAPPY FOURTH! I hope you do something delightfully old-fashioned, prosaic and all-American with family and friends to mark the occasion.

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  3. Today, no sacrifices are needed to maintain our prosperity...

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  4. Today's pearls of wisdom are being created as we speak and will be future generation's inspiration as they grow through life.

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  5. Whatever else you do today, DON'T MISS AOW'S POST. It's beautiful, -- moving, inspiring and highly instructive.

    http://alwaysonwatch3.blogspot.com/

    It’s a GREAT video.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A. Lurker said

    Enraptured like Narcissus we know bliss,
    Non sequitur to what’s seen nationwide.
    Could joy we take in heaven’s fireworks
    Earthbound hold us, while the Devil smirks?


    Did you have to spoil the pleasure we're supposed to have on this day by injecting your sour pessimism into a poem that's supposed to be about about fireworks? And why do you always use weird words like "naumachia?" What the hell is that and why should we care anyway? I think all you want to do is show people how smart you think you are, which very frankly is really dumb. I've never seen anyone more stuck on themself than you, FT.

    You want to now the truth? Your blogs really sucks.

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  7. Remember: all you liberal Naysayers, Socialist lovers and Brown Shirt worshipers, FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE!

    We should be thanking each and every American Service man and women and patriots all over America, who are now and have in the past fighting to KEEP our freedoms!

    I hope you will show your support by thanking as many of those people as you can, please.

    It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more MEANING to it than beer, fireworks, HOT DOGS, and picnics, and buying another pair of shoes because they are on sale today.

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  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. Did you have to spoil the pleasure we're supposed to have on this day

    Pot to Kettle...

    Your blogs really sucks.

    The LEAVE, you lurking IDIOT! You're not the Thought Police and your attendance is NOT mandatory.

    Allow some citizens to "freely associate" in peace.

    ReplyDelete

  10. Happy 4th of July to all my Blogging Boards Friends. We sometimes, and perhaps always disagree and debate many issues, but we all love this Country and know there is no better place to live in the entire world. So lets get rid of this man in the white House and carry on as we did for all those 238 wonderful years BO, Before Obama.

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  11. FT,
    Thank you for the complimenting my blog post today.

    Some comments thereto are worthy, others are not. **sigh**

    ReplyDelete
  12. My conservative friends, I know that you are discouraged by the country's "transformation" and abuses of power that are unveiled every day.
    If you find yourself wondering why the United States, the Land of the Free has more prison inmates in 2014 that any other country on the planet, and that a staggering disproportion of today's inmates are the descendants of slaves
    The reason why there are such a larger percentage of Blacks in jail today is because a larger percentage of Blacks are caught committing crimes. Not because the police are arresting Blacks for no reasons.
    As many of you know the Mayor of New York Bill de blasio has put a end to "Stop and Frisk", and due to that the Shootings and the Killings in New York has skyrocketed 43 percent in just the last month alone. New York’s new Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has shifted the focus from shootings to a steep decline in homicides when the old Police Commissioner Ray kelly and Mayor Bloomberg had controls and gun violence has gone wild within the Black communities. In the last month alone, 129 people were shot, according to the latest figures, or 43.3 percent more than for the same period last year.
    It is obvious that the alarming trend is the result of a the police force being handicapped by the inability to use tactics like stop-and-frisk..
    So lets ask these two GENIUS’S Bill Deblasio and Andrew Cuomo, how’s that increased gun control and the Stopping of 'Stop and Frisk' working for you! Boy you two Progressive/Liberal idiots really showed us

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  13. Giovanni Barzini said

    A very fine, beautifully constructed sonnet, sir. Unfortunately, like most of your stuff, it lacks the Common Touch. When you fly so high above the heads of the Crowd, it's inevitable you will be resented, misunderstood, derided or largely ignored.

    Nevertheless, keep up the good work, and take comfort in this thought. If you were popular, you'd be just another vulgar hack pandering shamelessly to the lowest common denominator.

    Never apologize if they call you a snob. Take it as a compliment and wear it s a badge of honor.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you very much, Giovanni Barzini -- I think. ;-)

    All I can say is "I am what i am."

    It took decades of heartache, soul searching and self-abnegation, but finally I have reached the point where I'm content to be whatever it is I am, and no longer concern myself with the opinions others hold of my character, disposition or talent -- con OR pro. I strive only to o as well as can and hope to be able to respect myself when I look in the mirror

    I share what comes to mind when I think it might have a salubrious effect. It no longer bothers me what others try to read into these disparate offerings. Naturally, I'm glad when anyone appears to "get it," but courting "positive strokes" rarely-if-ever motivates me anymore.

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  15. You must have the world's most powerful search engine, Thersites.

    Frankly, I wish more like Signor Barzini would frequent these pages.

    Signor Barzini,
    Don't be a meanie.
    Try my linguini
    With stewed zucchini,
    Pepperoncini
    And grated Parmesan
    You'll really tie one on
    I guarantee
    Dining at my salon
    Fills all with glee!

    ReplyDelete

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