I Hear America Singing

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deck- hand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Whitman, Leaves of Grass.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

We've had all sorts of crazy moths this summer, pulled in from the woods no doubt by the big outside halogen light I sometimes leave on all night.

They're awfully agile for such big things. A few weeks back a Luna month nearly twice the size of this one dodged a pretty determined blue jay and swooped high up into the pine trees around the house.