Do I dare to eat a peach?

[MineralMan]

I do grow old. In fact, I'm roughly the age of our two Democratic candidates for President. I turned 70 last July, much to my consternation.

I grow old … I grow old …
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think that they will sing to me.

I suppose I've become irrelevant and have no business commenting on the Democratic primaries. But wait...they're my age. They grew up when I grew up. They probably dived under desks in "A-Bomb" drills. They protested against the Vietnam war, like me. They watched the civil rights movement grow and even participated in it. They've seen us jump back and forth between Democrats and Republicans in the White House, and know which party does a better job.

So, I won't cave. I'll rage against the dying of the light and support whichever one of those two oldsters becomes the nominee. I think I'll just keep on doing what I've always done. I'm still alive and I still remember.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off the to supermarket to buy some peaches...fresh or canned...whatever's available. The mermaids are still singing to me, I'm sure.

[cali]

1. I'm still as in love with Eliot's poetry as I was at 16

I'm sure you know that Thomas is the author of "Rage, rage against the dying of the light". One thing to be said of the 20th century: A ton of magnificent poetry.

[MineralMan]

15. Who wouldn't be?

And, yes, the Thomas quote, too, was deliberate.

Love them both.

[randome]

2. Blueberries are easier to find out of season. But peaches are always grander!

[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]

[MineralMan]

8. Indeed. The sweet juices running down my chin...

Can't beat that.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. K&R for weaving "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" into a GD:P OP.

[MineralMan]

5. With a little Dylan Thomas as a bonus...

I just couldn't help myself, despite my state of advanced decrepitude.

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. For some reason, I've always preferred Eliot to Thomas.

Nicely done.

[thesquanderer]

17. Friends of mine are working on a musical adaptation of Prufrock

A preview can be heard at https://soundcloud.com/anotherscott/sets/prufrock-in-progress/s-m1T41

[MineralMan]

18. I think that's stored in a private playlist.

More's the pity, too. I'd like to hear it.

[thesquanderer]

21. Link fixed, thanks (n/t)

[MineralMan]

24. Thanks. Interesting project.

I enjoyed the excerpt.

[thesquanderer]

25. Rough versions of the complete work are at that link, or should be

It took 13 songs and about 40 minutes to adapt that poem!

As a bonus, I'm pretty sure everyone involved in the project is a Dem.

[MineralMan]

27. I'll listen to the rest later today.

[kydo]

4. You know this was going to get posted I hope?

If not enjoy ...

[MineralMan]

13. Wonderful! First time I've heard that.

Thanks!

[Runningdawg]

33. Beat me to it!

I started hearing the song in my head as soon as I started reading the thread.

[Beacool]

6. Beautiful........

[MineralMan]

14. Thanks so much!

[Beacool]

16. You're welcome, kind sir.

[Journeyman]

7. Only if you appreciate the overtly sexual implication of Eliot's use of the phrase . . .

[MineralMan]

11. Well of course.

Like most English majors, I wrote a long paper on that bit of poetry. And like most English majors, it was probably a naive, jejune paper, too.

[Hortensis]

32. He's just turned 70, Journeyman,

not turned over in his grave.

My husband's 75, btw; plenty of perspective here. We both love your life-affirming essay, Mineral Man.

[MineralMan]

34. Thanks, Hortensis!

[Peacetrain]

10. I have just one thing to say to that

[MineralMan]

12. You're too kind by half...

Thanks.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

19. MineralMan, I thought you were in your twenties. You are young at heart :). nt

[MineralMan]

26. Well, I was in my twenties once upon a time.

I can still go back there and visit those days any time I wish. Memories fail to fade. Some are pleasant and some not so. Still...all are fascinating from my current perspective.

[Android3.14]

20. I hear you, but I have little sympathy

We are all worm food. That's the nature of this game.

I was an infant when you were just old enough to vote, and that was significant 50 years ago. Today, the difference between you and me is trivial. I started receiving AARP mailers ten years ago. I could be pining away about the loss of my own youth, but I don't have time to be old.

Your sense that you are an old man is unfortunate, as being wise is a more useful way to consider your experience. It allows you the option of changing your opinion when the facts aren't there and what you felt in your gut a year ago is different that what you felt in your gut today.

[MineralMan]

22. Worm food indeed.

And so it goes. For now, though, I'm on the topside. While that's true, I intend to keep right on keeping right on.

As for my opinion, I doubt anyone really knows it well, except myself.

[Arazi]

23. Nobody's irrelevant here. I do hate the ageism

directed at anyone, even Bernie Sanders

[MineralMan]

30. Old is not bad. It's just old.

It's different, of course. Old is simply change. It all is.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

28. try the ones at costco

not bad in the winter

[shraby]

29. If you've ever canned peaches, there was an old saying. Peaches have 2 stages..

ripe and rotten.
So when we got a bushel of ripe peaches, everything stopped until they were processed.
Can't beat a ripe peach for being yummy. Those at the store now are what I call cardboard peaches as most of the other fruit is cardboard.
No flavor and hard.

[MineralMan]

31. True enough.

Last edited Mon Feb 8, 2016, 05:34 PM - Edit history (1)

Best peach I ever ate was picked by me very early one morning while I was delivering milk in California at 5AM while in high school. I picked it off a customers tree. Perfectly ripe and so delicious.

But then, I've eaten many peaches in my life. Some were ripe. Some were green and only full of promise. All were unique.

[Goblinmonger]

35. LOVE Eliot

"The Hollow Men" is my favorite.

[MineralMan]

36. Yes. One of mine, too.

Good poet. Dense poetry that requires work. Good stuff.

[roguevalley]

37. what a great OP. :D:D:D

[Donald Ian Rankin]

38. That is not it. That is not it, at all.

[MineralMan]

39. What is not what?

Words are free. You can use as many as you need.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

40. Her kindnesses to him were not indicative of romantic feelings, I think, although it's obscure.

It's another line from the same poem.

[KingCharlemagne]

41. Ah, but do you dare disturb the universe? - nt