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• 07:05 @cougrr I want to plant natives. I don't think those are. #
• 07:53 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." - Ezra 3:11 #
• 09:50 National Poetry Month has been interesting. I might stick with Kipling the whole way through. #
• 12:02 There really is a Walla Walla, Washington. Seriously. #
• 16:14 RT @paulandstorm[S] NEWS: Associated Press to crack down on article linking. I'd tinyurl it for you, but, well, y'know... #tcot #

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National Poetry Month: Kipling!

The Veterans

Written for the Gathering of Survivors the Indian Mutiny,
Albert Hall, 1907


To-day, across our fathers' graves,
The astonished years reveal
The remnant of that desperate host
Which cleansed our East with steel.

Hail and farewell! We greet you here,
With tears that none will scorn--
O Keepers of the House of old,
Or ever we were born!

One service more we dare to ask--
Pray for us, heroes, pray,
That when Fate lays on us our task
We do not shame the Day!

Poetry

For those who weren't aware, April is National Poetry Month. That's why the post of poetry every day.

My choice of Kipling so far was really from a moment of irritation. On April 1st, I was reading Yet Another Story of Britain's slide, and feeling like I needed an antidote. I recalled that Kipling was quite proud of Britain (though he never flinched from its flaws), so I looked him up.

And I've kept going.

I've enjoyed Kipling's work whenever I've found it. I read the Just So Stories when I was a teenager. I've read parts of The Jungle Book within the past year. It's surprising I haven't delved into his poetry before. But I hadn't.

So, while I'm selecting a poem to post, I'm reading two or three each day and enjoying them all. I don't know how much others are enjoying this month, but it's been an unexpected source of delight to me.

political foo: Big cars and families

Auto Demography

This is something I noticed and thought about some while hanging out with a pair of new parents. One had two kids from a previous marriage and they had a baby, and I was looking at the SUV they had and wondering why they didn't just go with a sturdy 4 door sedan.

And then I realized all the stuff they had to have in the car to take those kids anywhere.

I and my brother grew up riding around in 4 doors. I love the good old sedan. But I wonder... will that have to change whenever kids show up in our lives?