It Ain’t Macbeth, Watson

Watson, '“something wicked this way comes.”'

I took this picture this morning; a few feet from the motion-sensor light unit where I set it across from the persimmon tree. Some wild thing was looking at the fruit last night. Notice on the left of the picture a deep scarring paw print; a less distinguished paw print on the right. I surmised it was a heavy animal. It could be the possums and or raccoons have returned for the summer season. See what comes tomorrow, I might put a ruler on the ground to measure the prints.

"Approprite and cleaver, Watson. You know your Bard. Now put on your Fedora. The game is afoot."

"Thank you, Holmes. If it is the same to you, I will wear my bowler. By the way, I liked your pun, too."

History of Their Deeds Can Tell

Fourth of July Ode
James Russell Lowell
1892

I.
Our fathers fought for Liberty,
	They struggled long and well,
	History of their deeds can tell—
But did they leave us free?


II.
Are we free from vanity,
	Free from pride, and free from self,
	Free from love of power and pelf,
From everything that's beggarly?


III.
Are we free from stubborn will,
	From low hate and malice small,
	From opinion's tyrant thrall?
Are none of us our own slaves still?


IV.
Are we free to speak our thought,
	To be happy, and be poor,
	Free to enter Heaven's door,
To live and labor as we ought?


V.
Are we then made free at last
	From the fear of what men say,
	Free to reverence To-day,
Free from the slavery of the Past?


VI.
Our fathers fought for liberty,
	They struggled long and well,
	History of their deeds can tell—
But ourselvesmust set us free.

Then Came Hot July, Boiling Like to Fire

Moments ago, I took this picture of a freezer thermometer in the shaded garage. The thermometer reading maxed out at 90°F. It is hotter still outside of the house. It is 104°F at this writing. I am not quite naked as Spenser intoned (ha ha). Nevertheless, few verses of his came to mind on this first day of July.

"Then came hot July, boiling like to fire,
That all his garments he had cast away;
Upon a lion raging yet with ire
He boldly rode, and made him to obey."