To think of time
The toll of this plague
Oh! why should the spirit of mortal be proud?
Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud
A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave
He passeth from life to his rest in the grave.
The leaves of the oak and the willow shall fade,
Be scattered around, and together be laid;
And the young and the old, and the low and the high,
Shall moulder to dust, and together shall lie.
The infant a mother attended and loved;
The mother that infant's affection who proved;
The husband, that mother and infant who blest,--
Each, all, are away to their dwellings of rest.
The maid on whose cheek, on whose brow, in whose eye,
Shone beauty and pleasure, -- her triumphs are by;
And the memory of those who loved her and praised,
Are alike from the minds of the living erased.
The hand of the king that the sceptre hath borne,
The brow of the priest that the mitre hath worn,
The eye of the sage, and the heart of the brave,
Are hidden and lost in the depths of the grave.
“Mortality”, William Knox, 1824
“Mortality”, the poem I quoted above, was Abraham Lincoln’s favorite poem. In the 1830s, Dr. Jason Duncan introduced Lincoln to the poem (sometimes called "Immortality" or "Oh, Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be Proud?"). At the time, the increasingly melancholy Lincoln lived in New Salem, Illinois, and had already lost several friends and relatives to death.
Gradually Lincoln memorized the piece, but did not know the author's identity until late in life. He became so identified with the poem that some people thought he had written it. However, he only wished he had. He once remarked, "I would give all I am worth, and go in debt, to be able to write so fine a piece as I think that is." The author, a descendant of Scottish Presbyterian founder John Knox, published the poem in a collection called The Songs of Israel in 1824, shortly before his death at age 36.
Lawrence Weldon, who traveled the law circuit with Lincoln, recalled Lincoln reciting the poem in 1860. He said, "The weird and melancholy association of eloquence and poetry had a strong fascination for Mr. Lincoln's mind. Tasteful composition, either of prose or poetry, which faithfully contrasted the realities of eternity with the unstable and fickle fortunes of time, made a strong impression on his mind."
Lincoln’s probably my favorite president; not just for his accomplishments, but because he’s probably the greatest prose lyricist to hold the office, and could genuinely be characterized as one of the great American writers of the 19th century. Mortality - death - is greatly on my mind, not the least because as of today, 1 in 400 New Yorkers have died from Covid-19.
The oppressive weight of all that overhanging death clouds everything in this city. New York City right now is in the full flower of its evanescent spring: sunny days, breezy, cool winds, the boulevards begging to be strode upon. And yet, in my evening walks, the streets are forsaken, forlorn; nearly desolate and deserted. I see more people now - it’s hard not to, in a city of over nine million - but not in numbers you’d expect.
It feels like all of us know someone touched by this plague. It feels like it will never end. We are in an infinite present; there are no tomorrows, only today. The only time we have is now, and yesterday feels so far away.
You can read the rest of Knox’s poem at the link above.
Inside Decentraland, the surreal Second Life for crypto true believers — an elaborate and desolate world, I didn't see a single person in there.
Community cast reunites for table read — with special guest, Pedro Pascal from The Mandalorian and Narcos.
Animal Talking — an adorable talk show "filmed" in Animal Crossing by screenwriter Gary Whitta.
Ars Technica on art, fashion, and commerce in Animal Crossing — so much creativity coming from the ACNH community.
The Songs of 1984 — Hood Internet resumed their weekly mashups, jamming 50 songs from a single year into one three-minute song.
This is old, but I’m dropping it here because, dammit, we need to see this kind of courage more often: Tim Bray quits Amazon for firing whistleblowers — "a lack of vision about the human costs of the relentless growth and accumulation of wealth and power".
Kevin Roose on the vaccine misinformation war — conspiratorial thinking is uniting anti-vaccination activists and far-right extremist groups. These people are going to get us all killed.
Peter Fitzek is part of a movement that denies Germany’s existence. He founded his own kingdom and bank—then the government started asking where the money went.
The men of Middle-earth as bad ex boyfriends who ruined your life.Alex Arrelia catalogues the men of Middle-earth.
Gritty's Tiktok channel has been a beacon of sanity in these trying times. Did you know he squeaks when he performs beer pong trick shots? My faith in human(gr)itty is renewed.
Finally, to take us into Memorial Day weekend - the NY Philharmonic performs Ravel’s “Boléro” in honor of our city’s healthcare workers.
I love all of you. I’m holding all of you, just as you’re holding me. Times are rough, exhausting, and heart-breaking, and we’re going to get through them…together.
I’m here for you; drop a reply if you need anything.