Today I am here, which is against the Mayans’ predictions, and today there is no snow on the ground in Glenview, which was not what the forecasts predicted. A week has passed since the devastating event in Newton, CT, and an hour or so ago, the National Rifle Association held its first press conference since the tragedy. What predictions can be made about change in our culture? That remains to be seen. We can work toward the solutions we want, and we can speculate, which is another reason this poem seems appropriate.
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
by Robert Frost
Written in 1920, this poem is public domain and appears in the Collected Poems of Robert Frost. It was reprinted today as a Poem-A-Day by the Academy of American Poets. Also, a Twitter buddy steered me to this video of the poem being read by Richard Burton. It is only 33 seconds long, but it it packs a wallop.
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