Idaho

My alma mater inaugurated a new president today, which I guess is a good thing. I'll be honest, I've never paid that much attention to the succession of presidents since I left (or before I showed up).

Part of the ceremony was the reading of a poem by Robert Wrigley, a professor in the English department, titled "IDAHO." Here's the text, via an alumni newsletter email from the new president. Interesting piece.

"What's in a name?" Juliet Capulet asked of the night sky.
She was puzzlingly, mysteriously, and beautifully in love
with Romeo, a Montague, and their names made it all go awry.
She could have been asking the stars, or the deep dark above,

the same source Mr. George M. Willing might have inquired of,
in 1861, when he coined the word "Idaho," and claimed it Shoshone.
It wasn't. It meant neither "light from the mountains" nor "gem" of
the same. He made it up. It was, lexicologically, baloney.

And yet, here we have, whatever was meant by it then, Idaho:
a name conjured out of nothing, which even now seems,
some days, sometimes, hard to understand: but from the St. Joe
to the Owyhee, over all its thousands of mountains and streams,

what the word is, is a poem---puzzling, beautiful, mysterious---
that means, as we who live here know, exactly and only what it is.

The Lorica/Saint Patrick’s Breastplate

Well, it's St. Patrick's Day (incidentally, he's never been canonized by the Roman Catholic Church--so why the "St."?), so might as well post something attributed to him--this poem may date from the eighth century and so post-date Patrick. But it is traditionally assigned to him.

The other day at work, someone was working on some self-affirming phrases to post around for his own reminder--to keep him self on target. "I am not afraid," etc. They were simple (maybe simplistic), and pretty much empty of meaning. But they got me to musing about the usefulness of such things ingeneral, and if it was possible to come up with any that actually communicated more than a cliche. Didn't take me long to think of this, quite possibly my favorite poem, it sorta fits what I would like to come up with if I was try that project.

That, coupled with the date (and the fact that none of the posts I've been working on for a few days have been finished), figured I'd throw it up here. I think the translation Cahill used in his little book reads nicer, but don't have that one handy, this works for me tho.

The Lorica (a.k.a. Saint Patrick’s Breastplate)

Today I put on
a terrible strength
invoking the Trinity
confessing the Three
with faith in the One
as I face my Maker.

Today I put on the power
of Christ’s birth and baptism,
of his hanging and burial,
His resurrection, ascension,
and descent at the Judgment.

Today I put on the power
of the order of the Cherubim,
angels’ obedience,
archangels’ attendance,
in hope of ascending
to my reward;
patriarchs’ prayers,
prophets’ predictions,
apostles precepts,
confessors’ testimony,
holy virgins’ innocence
and the deeds of true men.

Today I put on
the power of Heaven,
the light of the Sun,
the radiance of the Moon,
the splendor of fire,
the fierceness of lightning,
the swiftness of wind,
the depth of the sea,
the firmness of earth
and the hardness of rock.

Today I put on
God’s strength to steer me,
God’s power to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye for my vision,
God’s ear for my hearing,
God’s word for my speech,
God’s hand to protect me,
God’s pathway before me,
God’s shield for my shelter,
God’s angels to guard me
from ambush of devils,
from vice’s allurements,
from traps of the flesh,
from all who wish ill,
whether distant or close,
alone or in hosts.

I summon these powers today
to take my part against every implacable power
that attacks my body and soul,
the chants of false prophets,
dark laws of the pagans,
false heretics’ laws,
entrapments of idols,
enchantments of women
or smiths or druids,
and all knowledge that poisons
man’s body or soul.

Christ guard me today
from poison, from burning,
from drowning, from hurt,
that I have my reward.

Christ beside me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,

Christ within me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me.

Christ on my right hand,
Christ on my left,

Christ where I lie,
Christ where I sit,
Christ where I rise.

Christ in the hearts of all who think of me,
Christ in the mouths of all who speak to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Today I put on
a terrible strength,
invoking the Trinity,
confessing the Three,
with faith in the One
as I face my Maker.

Inspired by the Expanding Ones

one of my all time faves:

The Guppy
by Ogden Nash

Whales have calves,
Cats have kittens,
Bears have cubs,
Bats have bittens,
Swans have cygnets,
Seals have puppies,
But guppies just have little guppies.