Friday 21 September 2007

Ozymandias



I'm going away for the weekend.

Here's a bit of Shelley to ponder on.

In a sense, it's a sad state on mortality, even the mighty are forgotten...

But then again, isn't there something heartwarming about that, too?

Life is about living today.
Not in the past. Nor in the future.
But never lose sight of either.

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Try to have a peaceful weekend, Crushed.

Anonymous said...

I love that verse... helps to keep in perspective. have a good weekend

Anonymous said...

You broaden my mind, CBI. :-) Shelley is witty... liked this...

Anonymous said...

Shelly is always good for melodramatic reflection. Have a lovely weekend.

Anonymous said...

Hope your weekend's going well.

Anonymous said...

I was reading a book today at work (I was bored) and this was in it. Made me think of you, so I share. Cuz thats the person I am.

In this life of froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone.
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own.

Take some time off mate. Do what needs to be done. Don't bother coming back until everything is sorted. Your blog can suffer for a bit. Get your RL fixed.

Anonymous said...

I've heard it said that he who has one foot in the past and one foot in the future takes a dump on the present . . .

(yesterday, I accidentally put this in the comments to the last post, but meant it for this one . . .)

Anonymous said...

Welshcakes- It was actually quite peaceful, I stayed with my friend (the one known to this blog as the Baker).

Betty- It's me favourite verse of Shelleys, as you say, it does give you perspective.
Apparently, he got the idea from seeing statues of Rameses in Egypt.

Eve- One the whole, I prefer Keats to Shelley, but I often feel Shelley is underrated as well. This piece sums up human vanity brilliantly.

Helen- I think all the Romantic poets are good for reflection, they all had a love of life, a wonder in the universe and a desire to share their observations in a written form that is very visually provocative.

Ian- It's probably a good thing I went away- my flatmate has gone on holiday, and truth be told, I don't like being in the flat on my own.

Phish- As far as I can see, things should be sorted now. I really am truly sorry that things ever got to this level.
But thanks :)

Oceanshaman- There is good grounds for studying the past, to understand the present, and plan for the future.
But the one thing you can't do is CHANGE the past.
Or keep it alive.