Ancient History

I hope the old Romans
Had painful abdomens.

I hope that the Greeks
Had toothaches for weeks.

I hope that the Egyptians
Had chronic conniptions.

I hope that the Arabs
Were bitten by scarabs.

I hope that the Vandals
Had thorns in their sandals.

I hope that the Persians
Had gout in all versions.

I hope that the Medes
Were kicked by their steeds.

They started the fuss
And left it to us!

Arthur Guiterman, 1871-1943

Jerash, largest ancient Roman city outside Rome. Jordan, October 2008

Now why did this old poem come back to me today? Teachers, have faith. Some learning just has to have a little time to sink in...

Comments

[Keith Johnson]

Is that poem from memory? If it is...my respect for you has just jumped higher than those donkey ears in the picture in your next blog post. I do happen to believe in the power of the quaint task of memorizing a poem. Maybe that's a 50s, 60s, or 70s thing (a retrogressive Web .0000001 skill?). Maybe it's a Homeric thing. No matter. Odd question . . . how many poems do you know from memory? Do you believe in any value of memorizing a poem? Final question . . . have you seen Omar Khayyam in your travels, and if so, would you rub his Rubaiyat for me? (I know he's from Turkey, but maybe he traveled down the coast...).

[Paul C]

The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It blesses him that gives and...

If only many of those past civilizations could have heeded those words...

And regarding rain, does it ever fall there?

[Doug Johnson]

@ HI Keith,

Well I am not rubbing anybody’s Rubaiyat. I am a happily married man. Lots of guys here named Omar, however.

No, I remember fragments of the poem (how I found it online). I used to know a number of short poems, but age is creeping up. I always made students in my classes memorize a few short poems or lines of Sophocles or Shakespeare. While there may not be much benefit, I don’t see much harm. Actually when I made kids stay after school, they could either stay the whole time or until they had memorized a short poem. I suspect there are few lifers in prison know who can recite, “Hope is a thing with feathers...”

All the best and thanks for the chuckle,

Doug

@ Hi Paul,

A much more thoughtful verse than that I used. It was a line I always asked my Merchant of Venice readers to memorize.

Shakespeare was a man of note
Who lived by writing things to quote

As they say.

Yes, it rained like the devil on Wed afternoon. A toad strangler. On the whole a pretty dry place.

All the best,

Doug