Epigrams Inspired by the Inscriptions in the Library of Congress - IV (2009)

    16
“The chief glory of every people arises from its authors.”

What will remain when king and politician, celebrity and athlete pass away?
They live for a crowd that wakes and lives and dies by every day.
No – the great-hearted artist lives not for himself, nor for his hour;
His is an unborn audience, unseen, for whom he exerts his utmost power,
To bear with time the very fruit that time cannot devour.


    17
“Books will speak plain when counsellors blanche.”

History is a book which tells of deaf and blind and overreaching pride,
Which dared defy the moral law, subdued the world – and died.


    18
“The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.”

Only the most pernicious age could value children upon their cost;
But thus do we, and prove how far our purpose has been lost.

We poured a foundation poorly mixed, with malice and indifference raised;
As all collapses on our heads, if we be cursed – be not amazed.


    19
“Glory is acquired by virtue, but preserved by letters”

Treat your writers well: men’s memories are infinitely short,
But words endure; and so your glory pends on their indulgence and report.


    20
“Science is organized knowledge”

How infinite is the human mind, whence science has its birth,
Compassing all within its sphere, the systems of the heavens and the earth.

Epigrams Inspired by the Inscriptions in the Library of Congress - III (2009)

    11
“No great thinker ever lived and taught you all the wonder that his soul received.”

The circle is never by straightness proper judged, but rests transcendent magnitudes apart;
Just so we speak through these few feeble shades of what inflames the mind, the soul and heart.

    12
“Dwells within the soul of every artist more than all his effort can express.”

Though fed by love, a melancholy joy enshrouds the artist’s heart,
For though he glimpses visions deep and divine, he still may only see and sing in part.


    13
“Ignorance is the curse of God, knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.”

Though ignorance may be of many things, the worst of all is that of love,
Which clips the wings of earnest thought from soaring in the realms above.


    14
“Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding.”

To gain it one must formerly be wise, since lack of it implies one is a fool;
But if a fool, how comes one to obtain it, when fools learn nothing, nor from rod nor school?
Since all are folly-filled in varying supplies, perhaps to simply love it, is already to be wise.


    15
“There is only one good, namely knowledge; there is only one evil, namely ignorance.”

Self-love in the highest captaincy begets a deadly state,
Such lovers cannot breed themselves but universal hate.

Statesman, you must persevere though death may be your prize,
For the few are slaves to tyranny, and the many never wise.

Epigrams Inspired by the Inscriptions in the Library of Congress - II (2009)

    6
“Books must follow sciences and not sciences books.”

When books were rated by science’s grade, discoveries were always made;
Whenever science fell to books, perchance the books were writ by crooks.


    7
“How charming is divine philosophy.”

The world of things must pass away, the air, the land, the sea;
Naught shall remain but those who wed divine philosophy.


    8
“Reading maketh a full man,
Conference a ready man,
And writing an exact man.”

Though listening is our wisdom’s start, and conference matures the mind;
Though reading overflows the heart, in writing at last our selves we find.


    9
“No painter ever set on canvas all the glorious vision he conceived.”

Though eyes see not the colorless source of colour’s illimitable light,
The mind discerns in myriad hues a single, iridescent white.


    10
“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”

Knowledge is a brazen maid, who calls to us with no demands;
But Wisdom is a lady coy, attracted not by unworked hands.