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A Contemplation of What Has Been Created

by Jimmy Carter

I tried to fathom nature’s laws
from twirling models and schoolroom sketches
of molecules and parts of atoms,
and nearly believed — but then came quarks,
bosons, leptons, antiparticles,
opposite-turning mirror images,
some that perforate the earth,
never swerving from their certain paths.
I’ve listened to conflicting views
about the grand and lesser worlds:
a big bang where it all began;
of curved, ever-expanding space;
perhaps tremendous whirling yo-yos
that will someday reach the end
of cosmic gravity and then
fly back to where they can restart
or cataclysmically blow apart —
and then, and then the next event.
And will it be an accident?

Fairfieldsbooks

On Death, Without Exaggeration

It can’t take a joke,
find a star, make a bridge.
It knows nothing about weaving, mining, farming,
building ships, or baking cakes.

In our planning for tomorrow,
it has the final word,
which is always beside the point.

It can’t even get the things done
that are part of its trade:
dig a grave,
make a coffin,
clean up after itself.

Preoccupied with killing,
it does the job awkwardly,
without system or skill.
As though each of us were its first kill.

Oh, it has its triumphs,
but look at its countless defeats,
missed blows,
and repeat attempts!

Sometimes it isn’t strong enough
to swat a fly from the air.
Many are the caterpillars
that have outcrawled it.

All those bulbs, pods,
tentacles, fins, tracheae,
nuptial plumage, and winter fur
show that it has fallen behind
with its halfhearted work.

Ill will won’t help
and even our lending a hand with wars and coups d’etat
is so far not enough.

Hearts beat inside eggs.
Babies’ skeletons grow.
Seeds, hard at work, sprout their first tiny pair of leaves
and sometimes even tall trees fall away.

Whoever claims that it’s omnipotent
is himself living proof
that it’s not.

There’s no life
that couldn’t be immortal
if only for a moment.

Death
always arrives by that very moment too late.

In vain it tugs at the knob
of the invisible door.
As far as you’ve come
can’t be undone.

Wislawa Szymborska

The Unknown Quantity

The Unknown Quantity-Elaborate Margaret Armstrong Cover

ON AUCTION

The Unknown Quantity

By

Henry Van Dyke

Elaborate Cover Design Done By Margaret Armstrong

It’s The 1912 First Edition Published By Charles Scribner’s Sons,New York

Same Date/No Others

Illustrated By Vignettes,Tailpieces,Headpieces And Full Page Plates Blank On The Reverse

The Book Is Gorgeous, It’s In Very Good Condition

• Gilt Stamped Margaret Armstrong Initals At The Lower Front Cloth Board

• Elaborate Cover Design Done In Gilt, Orange And Pale Yellow Over Full Dark Blue Cloth

• 7-1/2 ” Tall

• A Gilt Top Edge And Deckled Edges

• Gorgeous Vignette Title Page

• 370 Pages Complete Tight Contents And Deckled Edges

• IceRocket Tags: Henry Van Dyke,Margaret Armstrong

Little Women

EASTON PRESS-Little Women-Full Leather Binding Fine

ON AUCTION

Little Women

Or

Meg, Jo, Beth, And Amy

By Louisa May Alcott

With An Introduction By Edward Weeks And Illustrations By Henry C. Pitz

Published By The Easton Press 1976

In The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written

Collector’s Edition

Bound In Genuine Leather

Acquired By Us At An Estate Auction Offered By Invitation Only

The Volume Is Superb, It’s In Fine Condition

• Bound In Full Chestnut Brown Leather And Elaborate Gilt Fine Binding

• 4 Bands And 5 Compartments At The Spine

• Full Gilt Page Edges

• Sateen Pastedowns And Endpages

• Silk Ribbon Marker Bound-In

• Illustrated Throughout+Full Page Colour Plates Blank On The Reverse

• 428 Numbered Pages Complete Tight Contents Secure At The Hinges

• IceRocket Tags: Louisa May Alcott,Easton Press,Little Women

The Man in the Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
and the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say
For it isn’t your father or mother or wife
who judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts the most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass
Some people may think you a straight-shooting chum
and call you a wonderful guy
But the guy in the glass says you’re only a bum
if you can’t look him straight in the eye
He’s the fellow to please never mind all the rest
for he’s with you clear up to the end
And you’ve passed your most dangerous difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend
You may fool the whole world down the pathway
of life and get pats on the back as pass
But your final reward will be heartaches and
tears if you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

Anonymous

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