Gubbinal

And something has to bring us all the way around for the first day. Lacking any LL Cool J within easy reach, I turn, instead, to Wallace Stevens, who, if nothing else, has two ls in the middle of his name. Wa! Ladies Love Ace Stevens.

Because, you know, the ladies love those who work for insurance agencies – to say nothing of those so dedicated to their employment within said agencies that they turn down faculty positions at Harvard in favor of, say, continuing to serve in prominent executive positions.

Thus:

Gubbinal

That strange flower, the sun,
Is just what you say.
Have it your way.

The world is ugly,
And the people are sad.

That tuft of jungle feathers,
That animal eye,
Is just what you say.

That savage of fire,
That seed,
Have it your way.

The world is ugly,
And the people are sad.

-- Wallace Stevens

It’s raining in Virginia today, and Harper has a snot-fountain cold, and David Lessar, through an obscure government contract, probably owns my left knee and will come collecting on some day when I really, really need it, but it’s spring, Harper’s favorite musician at the moment is Johnny Cash, and Lessar is mostly likely so comfortable in Dubai that he’ll never bother to make a housecall on the East Coast.

Plus, monkey research continues.

And as monkey research goes, thus follow sock monkey findings.