Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth

By A.H.Clough

Say not the struggle naught availeth,
The labour and the wounds are vain,
The enemy faints not, nor faileth,
And as things have been they remain.

If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars;
It may be, in yon smoke conceal'd,
Your comrades chase e'en now the fliers,
And, but for you, possess the field.

For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,
Seem here no painful inch to gain,
Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.

And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly!
But westward, look, the land is bright!

Comments : Found a lovely poem by A.H.Clough on the wondering minstrels blog and forwarded it to several friends. One of whom wrote back and directed me to this poem (Thanks A).
I really liked the imagery in this poem, especially 'for while the tired waves........in the main.'

On criticism

Comments : Came across two gems on criticism in a book of English translations of Sanskrit poems. Never realised the fuddy-duddy language had so much fun stuff - they only taught us the boring, moralistic poems in school. - Zen

The fire of envious critics’ tongues
Refines the true poetic gold.
Should we not celebrate in cheerful songs
Poor fools who give us benefits untold ?
- By Varahamihira


Strike me, and try me to your heart’s content
With fire and touchstone : I accept my fate.
But oh I bitterly resent
The fact that you should weigh me with a pennyweight.
- By Sudraka

Mr. Rock & Roll

- Amy Macdonald

So-called Mr Rock & Roll,
Is dancing on his own again,
Talking on his phone again,
To someone who tells him that his balance is low.
He's got nowhere to go, he's on his own again.

Rock Chick of the century,
Is acting like she used to be,
Dancing like there's no-one there.
Before she never seemed to care,
Now she wouldn't dare.
It's so Rock & Roll to be alone.

And they'll meet one day far away,
And say, 'I wish I was something more.'
And they'll meet one day far away,
And say, 'I wish I knew you, I wish I knew you before.'

Mrs. Black & White she's never seen a shade of grey,
Always something on her mind,
Every single day.
But now she's lost her way,
And where does she go from here?

Mr. Multicultural sees all that one can see,
He's living proof of someone very different to me.
But now he wants to be free,
Free so he can see.
And they'll meet one day far away,
And say, 'I wish I was something more.'
And they'll meet one day far away,
And say, 'I wish I knew you, I wish I knew you before.'

He'll say, 'I wish I knew you
I wish I met you when time was still on my side.'
She'll say, 'I wish I knew you
I wish I loved you before I was his bride.'

And so they must depart,
Two many more broken hearts.
But I've seen that all before,
In T.V, books, and film and more.
And there's a happy ending,
Every single day.

And they'll meet one day far away,
And say, 'I wish I was something more.'
And they'll meet one day far away
And say, 'I wish I knew you, I wish I knew you before

Comments : A friend introduced me to this song yesterday and I was hooked in the very first minute, both by the lively tune and by Amy’s voice, and then drawn in further by the interesting character names – Mr. Rock & Roll, Mrs. Black and White, Mr. Multicultural. The descriptions say it all, Mr. Rock and Roll speaking on the phone to someone who’s only telling him his balance is low, what better way to describe being alone and having no one to speak to ? Or Mr. Multicultural, who ironically, wants to be free so that he can see.

p.s. If you haven’t heard the song yet, listen to the video here and a live performance here.

By,
Zen