FW: The lesson of the moth

[Anne Kilmer]

pardon the cross posting.
In view of the current thread on leps talk, John, I thought I'd share 
with them this little gem.
They've been chatting about how close they'll come to death to net a 
butterfly.

You've started something, in my little circle. My husband is rereading 
archie and mehitabel, I'm reading Garrison Keillor, my friend has 
googled don marquis with great results, and many of us are patronizing 
the Writers Almanac, what a nice idea.
more at the end.
Anne Kilmer
Mayo, Ireland

John wrote:
>  
> Hi All -
>  
> I got this from a friend the other day.  You can go to the site and read 
> the poem, or listen - I recommend the latter.
>  
> It will make you smile.
>  
> John Himmelman
> Connecticut, USA
>  
> 
> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 4:33 PM
> To: John Himmelman
> Subject: The lesson of the moth
> 
>         Hi John,
>          
>         This morning Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac on public radio
>         had a poem by Don Marquis entitled "the lesson of the moth,"
>         part of his "Archie the Cockroach" series. (ever hear of
>         Archie?)  Anyway, thought of you when I heard it.  You can read
>         or listen to it at
>         http://www.writersalmanac.org/basic/al_tuesday.htm
>         <http://www.writersalmanac.org/>
>          
>         Enjoy.
>         Cin

this reference gets you to a subsequent tuesday, for we keep having 
those. so I quote the poem here:

>         
Poem: "the lesson of the moth," by Don Marquis from The Best of Don 
Marquis (Doubleday).

the lesson of the moth

i was talking to a moth
the other evening
he was trying to break into
an electric light bulb
and fry himself on the wires

why do you fellows
pull this stunt i asked him
because it is the conventional
thing for moths or why
if that had been an uncovered
candle instead of an electric
light bulb you would
now be a small unsightly cinder
have you no sense

plenty of it he answered
but at times we get tired
of using it
we get bored with the routine
and crave beauty
and excitement
fire is beautiful
and we know that if we get
too close it will kill us
but what does that matter
it is better to be happy
for a moment
and be burned up with beauty
than to live a long time
and be bored all the while
so we wad all our life up
into one little roll
and then we shoot the roll
that is what life is for
it is better to be a part of beauty
for one instant and then cease to
exist than to exist forever
and never be a part of beauty
our attitude toward life
is come easy go easy
we are like human beings
used to be before they became
too civilized to enjoy themselves

and before i could argue him
out of his philosophy
he went and immolated himself
on a patent cigar lighter
i do not agree with him
myself i would rather have
half the happiness and twice
the longevity

but at the same time i wish
there was something i wanted
as badly as he wanted to fry himself





>          
>          
> 
>         <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>         John Himmelman
>         Killingworth, CT
>         jhimmel at comcast.net
>         <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
> 
>         JUST OUT FALL 2002!  "Discovering Moths, Nighttime Jewels in
>         Your Own Yard"
>         Go to: http://booksandnature.homestead.com/DiscoveringMothspage.html
> 
>         Visit my other websites at:
>           www.johnhimmelman.com
>           www.connecticutmoths.com
>           www.ctamphibians.com
> 
>          
this is Anne again:
archie left out the possibility that you will simply fry your wings and 
have to walk home. In such a case, be a Giant Water Bug rather than a 
moth, and you will at least make any confrontation memorable for the 
other party.
That's my habit.

anne


> 
>              
> 




 
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