Day of Woe - Wordsmith.org

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What a dreadful day. We are mourning the passing of BeingCJ and Eudora Welty and the expected departure of George Harrison, which brings many of us to mourn the pasing of a part of our youth, as well as the Beatle himself. I offer the following from Idylls of the King, Arthur's farewell to Bedivere:

The old order changeth, yielding place to new,
And God fulfils himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.
Comfort thyself; what comfort is in me?
I have lived my life, and that which I have done
May He within himself make pure! but thou,
If thou shouldst never see my face again,
Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.

Bob, thank you. With love.

It appears that reports of George Harrison's demise may be greatly exaggerated. George Martin has released a press statement saying that he has not spoken to any newspaper about this, and George himself has said that he is "saddened and disgusted" by the reports.

Let's hope this second bunch of statements is actually true.

Thanks, Bob...an apt and moving passage.

Thanks, CapK...I hold for hope at any cost. I've seen the reports...actually heard he was being treated for brain cancer a couple of weeks ago. That's a tough one...lost an artist friend to it a couple of years ago after a 15 year remission from breast cancer. But there's always a chance. And, you know, the press used to go out of their way to be delicate with stories like this one...if they jumped the gun on this, what a horrid and voracious pack of vultures (beyond their usual pall of predation) they've become! What kind of world have we become?

My prayers and thoughts go out to Carol's family and friends, and, especially, her Father and children.