My Virtual Reading Room

"Peonies", by Jim Harrison

Sat, 16 May 2026 20:54:03 GMT

Peonies

by Jim Harrison

The peonies, too heavy with their beauty,

slump to the ground. I had hoped

they would live forever but ever so slowly

day by day they’re becoming the soil of their birth

with a faint tang of deliquescence around them.

Next June they’ll somehow remember to come alive again,

a little trick we have or have not learned.

(via Read a Little Poetry FB page--many thanks!)

(they also have a website, do take a look: readalittlepoetry.com/)

(cross-posting to greatpoetry )

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У ВАС ВСЕ ХОРОШО? / "Is everything all right?"

Mon, 11 May 2026 22:50:53 GMT

У ВАС ВСЕ ХОРОШО?

Несколько дней назад в ресторане. За соседним столиком четверо мужчин, одетых неброско, но очень дорого. Сидят-пьют-едят, сдвинувшись головами к центру. Разговаривают вроде бы тихо, но очень слышно и очень жалобно. Нефть дорожает, инфляция растет, инвесторы исчезают, партнеры уходят, санкции давят, силовики не дают вздохнуть, ну и вообще сами понимаете. Рецессия и ад, апокалипсис и беда.

Is everything all right?

In a restaurant, a few days ago. Four men, dressed not flashily but very expensively, are seated at the table next to mine. They're sitting there, eating and drinking, heads leaning together towards the center of the table. They are talking seemingly quietly but very audibly and very pathetically. The oil prices are rising, the inflation is increasing, the investors are disappearing, the sanctions are exerting pressure, the federal law enforcement is hardly letting anyone breathe, and in general, well, you understand. Recession and hell, apocalypse and trouble.

( Read more... )

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«У Лукоморья дуб зелёный…» / "By the sea-strand, an oak green..."

Mon, 11 May 2026 12:39:09 GMT

This is the introduction to Pushkin's "Ruslan and Ludmila", now animated, with cats ;) ~~

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From "One-Storey America", 1936, by Ilf and Petrov

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:51:53 GMT

...The authors are taking a road trip across the US with a retired fellow named Mr. Adams and his wife Becky, who's actually the driver:
~~~

Мы пили помидорный сок и кофе в толстых кружках, ели «гэм энд эгг» (яичницу с куском ветчины) в безлюдном и сонном в этот час маленьком кафе на Мейн-стрит и усаживались в машину. Мистер Адамс только и ждал этого момента. Он поворачивался к нам и начинал говорить. И говорил почти без перерыва весь день. Он, вероятно, согласился с нами ехать главным образом потому, что почувствовал в нас хороших слушателей и собеседников.

We would drink tomato juice and coffee from thick mugs, eat "ham and egg" in the empty (and sleepy at this early hour) small cafe on Main Street and get in the car. Mr. Adams has been waiting for his very moment. He would turn towards us and start talking. And he would keep talking, almost without stopping, the entire day long. Probably, he decided to ride with us mainly because he felt us to be good listeners and interlocutors.

Но вот что самое замечательное – его никак нельзя было назвать болтуном. Все, что он говорил, всегда было интересно и умно. За два месяца пути он ни разу не повторился. Он обладал точными знаниями почти во всех областях жизни. Инженер по специальности, он недавно ушел на покой и жил на маленький капитал, дававший скромные средства к жизни и независимость, которой он очень дорожил и без которой, очевидно, не мог бы просуществовать ни минуты.

But this is the most remarkable thing--one could not say he was a blabbermouth. Everything he said was interesting and intelligent. For the two months of our trip, he never repeated himself once. He possessed exact knowledge in almost all areas of life. An engineer by profession, he had recently retired and was living on the small capital, which yielded him a modest income and independence. This independence was very dear to him and he evidently couldn't have existed for even a minute without it.

( Read more... )

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Three links and a brief video

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:01:13 GMT

The world’s oldest octopus fossil isn’t an octopus after all, scientists say, from AP News

The earliest known public museum, from Wikipedia, via minoanmiss

Here are the contents of an elite Minoan burial on the island of Aegina, from Carausius on Bluesky, via amaebi

Edible art:

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"Madam la Marquise", by Robert Service

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:48:11 GMT

Madame la Marquise

Said Hongray de la Glaciere unto his proud Papa:
"I want to take a wife mon Père," The Marquis laughed: "Ha! Ha!
And whose, my son?" he slyly said; but Hongray with a frown
Cried, "Fi! Papa, I mean - to wed, I want to settle down."

The Marquis de la Glaciere responded with a smile;
"You're young, my boy; I much prefer that you should wait awhile."
But Hongray sighed: "I cannot wait, for I am twenty-four;
And I have met my blessed fate: I worship and adore.

Such beauty, grace and charm has she, I'm sure you will approve,
For if I live a century none other can I love."
"I have no doubt," the Marquis shrugged, "that she's a proper pet;
But has she got a decent dot, and is she of our set?"

"Her dot," said Hongray, "will suffice; her family you know.
The girl with whom I fain would splice is Mirabelle du Veau."

What made the Marquis start and stare, and clutch his perfumed beard?
Why did he stagger to a chair and murmur: "As I feared?"
Dilated were his eyes with dread, and in a voice of woe
He wailed: "My son, you cannot wed with Mirabelle du Veau."

"Why not? my Parent," Hongray cried. "Her name's without a slur.
Why should you look so horrified that I should wed with her?"
The Marquis groaned: "Unhappy lad! Forget her if you can,
And see in your respected Dad a miserable man."

"What is the matter? I repeat," said Hongray, growing hot.
"She's witty, pretty, rich and sweet... Then- mille diables!- what?"
The Marquis moaned: "Alas! that I your dreams of bliss should banish;
It happened in the days gone-by, when I was Don Juanish.

Her mother was your mother's friend, and we were much together.
Ah well! You know how such things end. (I blame it on the weather.)
We had a very sultry spell. One day, mon Dieu! I kissed her.
My son, you can't wed Mirabelle. She is... she is your sister."

( So broken-hearted Hongray went and roamed the world around, )

By Robert Service

(reposted w. thanks from duathir in the greatpoets LJ comm, from Sept 25, 2025)

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Stars, and space, and absent friends

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 03:17:32 GMT

A tribute, by Sabotabby

For minoanmiss , in whose LJ I first saw this poem, several years ago.

The Old Astronomer to his Pupil

Reach me down my Tycho Brahe, I would know him when we meet,
When I share my later science, sitting humbly at his feet;
He may know the law of all things, yet be ignorant of how
We are working to completion, working on from then to now.

Pray remember that I leave you all my theory complete,
Lacking only certain data for your adding, as is meet,
And remember men will scorn it, 'tis original and true,
And the obliquy of newness may fall bitterly on you.( Read more... )

Here's an illustration by Charlie Bowater

"When You Were the Stars"

A Response to Sarah Williams' "The Old Astronomer to His Pupil"

You told me not to fear the dark-
that stars were born from deepest night,
and even death, you softly said,
was just a turning into light.

Your voice would echo through the dusk,
so calm, so sure, so infinite-
as if the sky itself leaned in
to listen what your soul had meant.( I watched you trace Orion's belt... )

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Fear no more the heat o' the sun

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:22:53 GMT

(cross-posting from greatpoetry )
~~
from Cymbeline, Act IV, Scene 2

Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o' the great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke:
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan;
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

Edit: The verses were set to music and sung by Loreena McKennitt. You can listen to it here.
~~
This was originally posted to the greatpoets comm in October 2010 by stillsparkling over here

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One of the ways to plant flowers ;)

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:40:17 GMT

Woman, 96, enlists 150-pound dog to plant spring flowers: She points, he digs, from The Washington Post

(yes, I'm back, will try to catch up w. posts/f-list/comms/comments in the next 1-2 weeks)

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Bossa Nova Cover Songs 2025 – Smooth Jazz Vibes for Relaxing Moments

Sun, 11 May 2025 11:08:56 GMT

Something relaxing for your Sunday/as you enter the workweek

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80 years

Fri, 09 May 2025 22:39:43 GMT

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Three Links for Your Wednesday

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 18:00:47 GMT

Runaway kangaroo’s hop down Alabama highway causes two-vehicle crash

The marsupial was unharmed, law enforcement said. It was shot with a tranquilizer and returned to its owner.

(there's a video in the article, take a look ;))

Promising research:

Experimental cancer drugs found to help some patients avoid surgery

(immunotherapy has really taken off in recent years)

A slightly older article, but one I'd not come across before:

She wrote to a scientist about her fatigue. It inspired a breakthrough.

(all three are from The Washington Post, and all three are gift links)

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A cute rabbit story for the Easter weekend :)

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 09:39:32 GMT

Huge rabbit rescued from kill farm is now therapy bunny, drives mini truck, from The Washington Post

“There’s just not a place that he’s not completely the center of attention,” said Josh Row, who owns rabbit Alex The Great.
~~

And wishing you an enjoyable weekend, and a Happy Easter, if you celebrate it :)

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4 Types of Grief No One Told You About

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 17:22:04 GMT

4 Types of Grief No One Told You About, by Sarah Epstein

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Smile ;)

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 10:48:07 GMT

The caption says: "When mice got into our house, we decided to get a cat. Now we're feeding everyone."

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NORMAN ROCKWELL APRIL FOOL (GIRL WITH SHOPKEEPER, CURIOSITY SHOP), 1948

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:44:19 GMT

NORMAN ROCKWELL APRIL FOOL (GIRL WITH SHOPKEEPER, CURIOSITY SHOP), 1948
There are many objects and details that are wrong or with a lot of humor in this painting!!
Can you find them??

(from Vintage Postcards FB page)

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"I hear strange tales of very strange events"

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:02:49 GMT

The Partnership:The Secret History of the War in Ukraine, from the NYT

(gift link)

This is the untold story of America’s hidden role in Ukrainian military operations against Russia’s invading armies.

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Driver's Eye View - Welsh Highland Railway (Rheilffordd Eryri) - Porthmadog to Caernarfon

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 02:16:39 GMT

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Something funny for your Sunday/Monday ;)

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 23:55:17 GMT

( Lyrics and translation: )

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Funny cats in the coffee shop

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:57:18 GMT

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"Trial by Jury", by Opera Australia

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 04:45:28 GMT

Something I have found amusing, and perhaps you might, too--

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"A simple question", and a cute sea critter

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 18:41:12 GMT

Carolyn Hax chat from Feb. 21, 2025

You can scroll down to the "Mental Health" question, and I'll also post it below

Mental Health
Guest
Feb 21, 1:03 p.m.
Just a simple question if you can get to it: How do you make yourself happy - when the world demands you to be sad?( Here's the answer: )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And here's the article about the seal, which was referred to in the chat:

A seal is found wandering streets of New Haven, becomes local celebrity

Spotted five miles from the water, the pup was taken to an aquarium for rehab and eventual release.

(Take a look--it has cute photos)

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"Who are the Russians?" and a funny story

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 03:33:18 GMT

This is a very interesting interview with Alexandra Arkhipova (she's a social anthropologist) I've watched recently. It now has professionally-translated English subtitles (they're good quality, I checked). You get to see some of Paris, and Musee d'Homme--and there's an absolutely hilarious story from Mongolia, do take a look at that one, if nothing else--it's at 2 hours 32 minutes in, and only a few minutes long.

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About love, and mathematics

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 20:36:12 GMT

“He's teaching her arithmetic,
He said it was his mission,
He kissed her once, he kissed her twice, and said,
"Now that's addition."
And as he added smack by smack
In silent satisfaction,
She sweetly gave the kisses back and said,
"Now that's subtraction."

Then he kissed her, and she kissed him,
Without an explanation,
And both together smiled and said,
"That's multiplication."
Then Dad appeared upon the scene and
Made a quick decision.
He kicked that kid three blocks away
And said, "That's long division!”

― Dan Clark, Chicken Soup for the College Soul: Inspiring and Humorous Stories About College

A Mathematician's Love Proposal

You integrate my differential
And dislocate my focus.
My pulse goes up like exponential
Whenever you cross my locus.

Without you, the world is null and void:
So won't you be my cardioid?

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Nature scenes and background music

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 20:59:50 GMT

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