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Travelling Song

Upon the hearth the fire is red,
Beneath the roof there is a bed;
But not yet weary are our feet,
Still round the corner we may meet
A sudden tree or standing stone
That none have seen but we alone.
Tree and flower, leaf and grass,
Let them pass! Let them pass!
Hill and water under sky,
Pass them by! Pass them by!

Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though we pass them by today,
Tomorrow we may come this way
And take the hidden paths that run
Towards the Moon or to the Sun.
Apple, thorn, and nut and sloe,
Let them go! Let them go!
Sand and stone and pool and dell,
Fare you well! Fare you well!

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Then world behind and home ahead,
We'll wander back to home and bed.
Mist and twilight, cloud and shade,
Away shall fade! Away shall fade!
Fire and lamp and meat and bread,
And then to bed! And then to bed!


Songs and tales from J.R.R. Tolkien's work.

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Good morning, WA2K fans and contributors.

edgar, we appreciate your music, Texas. Jig Saw Puzzle is something of a statement, I would assume. Thanks, buddy.

Walter, a great tribute to Neil Armstrong, my friend, and Fly me to the Moon was the perfect musical salute. Do you suppose those guys really went there?

Once again, Bob has informed us of two great men. One, Maupassant, is still one of my favorite short story writers; the other, I am afraid, I am not familiar with, but then I'm not a great sports fan.

That traveling music was great, Boston. Never heard it, but I know that our listeners appreciate your having played it here on the radio.

Well, Letty needs a cuppa, so I'll be back shortly.

Good morning, Letty. One of the detriments to seeing the films Lord of the Rings was what you gained in visual images you lost in poetry. Throughout the trilogy those who sojourned there had an ample sampling of verbal images. Tolkien had a fine touch in languages. He chose Finnish for the elven speech. I have read and re-read the books many times. It never failed to open new vistas to me.

Well, Bob. Frankly, I never read the trilogy, but I think that I saw one of the movies in the series. Never read one of the Harry Potter books, either.

It's odd, isn't it, what we choose to read, folks. If McTag hasn't give away all our awards for excellence, I would like to bestow on you that most coveted award, WA2K biographer of the month. <smile>

I accept this prize with humble appreciation, realizing it could not have been achieved without the multiplicity of subjects who provided this opportunity to be biographed. Thank you world.

Bob, you are delightful, my friend, and your humility is quite touching.

Well, folks. Most of Europe has been accounted for today, but we do miss Norway, and Canada hasn't checked in. hebba is alive and well, I'm certain. As to Francis, wonder if he's jet settin' with C.I. <smile>

I suppose that Mr. and Mrs. Eva are visiting with the dys and the Di. Hope they let us know something soon.

Of course I don't believe this nonsense, and the earth is a flat circular disk.

Good morning (to us) Walter. I'm delighted to know Europe's awake. This being Friday, did you leave your cohorts to stew in their own juices while you sauntered forth for an early weekend?

Hey, Walter. Doesn't the Flat Earth Society still exist?

Here's a bit of net news for those who might be concerned with our Civil War:


Coffin From Civil War Uncovers Mystery

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

WASHINGTON (AP) - The rusty iron coffin stubbornly resisted hammer and chisel as researchers in a warm Smithsonian laboratory sought a glimpse of an American who lived more than a century and a half ago.

An electric drill, its orange cord snaking around the pre-Civil War artifact, finally freed the lid.

``This is a person and we want to tell this person's story. She is our primary obligation,'' anthropologist Doug Owsley said as the lid was lifted to reveal a young body wrapped in a brown shroud.

The scientists hope to identify the remains so they can have a properly marked grave. In the process, they have a chance to learn about mortuary practices of the period, what disease and trauma people may have suffered, their diet, past environments, clothing and perhaps even social customs.


Based on the small size, they had expected the coffin to contain a female body. On examination, it turned out to be a boy, about age 13.


The coffin was found in April by utility workers digging in Washington.


Owsley, head of physical anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History, said the body was well preserved. The young man wore a shirt and vest, pants and drawers, all hand-sewn, as well as a pair of socks. Only the socks appeared machine-made, Owsley said Thursday.


``I think ultimately we'll be able to determine who he was and what the cause of death was,'' he said. Owsley said the young man's right lung had adhesions indicating an infection, possibly pneumonia, and calcifications of the lymph nodes from infections.


The cast iron coffin was shaped a bit like an Egyptian mummy and is of a type called Fisk style patented in 1848. This particular model was popular in the early 1850s among the well-to-do, Owsley said.

Hey, listeners. I could give you a quick summary of why the South lost the war. Anybody interested?

I've been a navigator with the navy, I really know. (Our ship only went up and down due to waves and wind, and I only used flat maps/charts!!!)

You know, Walter and all. It is amazing what people WANT to believe, and yes, buddy, I would never mistrust the judgement of a drunken sailor early in the morning. <smile>

Speaking of sailing, here's a sailing song from old England:

Roast Beef Of Old England
When mighty roast beef was the Englishman's food
It ennobl'd our veins and enriched our blood
Our soldiers were brave and our courtiers were good
Oh! The roast beef of Old England, and Old English roast beef.
But since we have learned from all vapouring France
To eat their ragouts, as well as to dance.
We are fed up with nothing but vain complaisance
Oh! The roast beef of Old England, and Old English roast beef.

Our fathers, of old, were robust, stout and strong
And kept open house, with good cheer all day long.
Which made their plump tenants rejoyce in this song
Oh! The roast beef of Old England, and Old English roast beef.

But now we are dwindled, to what shall I name
A sneaking poor race, half begotten and tame
Who sully those honours that once shone in fame
Oh! The roast beef of Old England, and Old English roast beef.

When good Queen Elizabeth sat on the throne
E'er coffee and tea and such slip-slops were known
The world was in terror if e'er she did frown.
Oh! The roast beef of Old England, and Old English roast beef.

In those days, if fleets did presume on the main
They seldom, or never, return'd back again
As witness, the vaunting Armada of Spain.
Oh! The roast beef of Old England, and Old English roast beef.

Oh! Then we had stomachs to eat, and to fight
And when wrongs were a-cooking to do ourselves right
But now we're a... I could, but goodnght.
Oh! The roast beef of Old England, and Old English roast beef.

Don't maps make it easy? I keep pointing out to people holding a map before their very eyes. that when going to Florida it's all downhill and going to New England it's all uphill. Of course it takes longer.

August 5 birthdays:

1623 - Antonio Cesti, Italian composer (d. 1669)
1641 - John Hathorne, American magistrate (d. 1717)
1662 - James Anderson, Scottish historian (d. 1728)
1694 - Leonardo Leo, Italian composer (d. 1744)
1802 - Niels Henrik Abel, Norwegian mathematician
1811 - Thomas Ambroise, composer (d. 1896)
1813 - Ivar Aasen, Norwegian poet and language reformer
1815 - Edward John Eyre, explorer (d. 1901)
1842 - Ferdinand Keller, painter (d. 1922)
1850 - Guy de Maupassant, author (d. 1893)
1862 - Joseph Merrick, deformed celebrity (d. 1890)
1866 - Carl Harries, chemist (d. 1923)
1877 - Tom Thomson, painter (d. 1917)
1889 - Conrad Aiken, American writer (d. 1973)
1890 - Erich Kleiber, conductor (d. 1956)
1906 - John Huston, director (d. 1987)
1906 - Wassily Leontief, economist (d. 1999)
1908 - Harold Holt, seventeenth Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1967)
1911 - Robert Taylor, actor (d. 1969)
1923 - Devan Nair, President of Singapore from 1981 to 1985
1930 - Neil Armstrong, first man on the Moon
1935 - John Saxon, actor
1937 - Herb Brooks, ice hockey coach (d. 2003)
1939 - Princess Irene of the Netherlands
1940 - Roman Gabriel, professional football player
1941 - Airto Moreira, Brazilian percussionist
1943 - Nelson Briles, Major League Baseball player (d. 2005)
1946 - Loni Anderson, actress
1946 - Jimmy Webb, composer, musician
1947 - Rick Derringer, rock and roll musician
1953 - Rick Mahler, Major League Baseball player (d. 2005)
1956 - Maureen McCormick, actress, The Brady Bunch
1961 - Clayton Rohner, actor
1962 - Patrick Ewing, basketball player
1964 - Adam Yauch, musician
1971 - Jeff Somers, author
1973 - Adam Hackbarth, screenwriter
1975 - Kajol Mukherjee, actress
1977 - Mark Mulder, baseball pitcher
1981 - Carl Crawford, Major League Baseball player
1981 - Rachel Scott, victim of the Columbine High School massacre (d. 1999)
1981 - Kō Shibasaki, Japanese singer and actress
1984 - Peter Martin Kaunda, Entrepreneur & Wealth Enthusiast




I'd like to know why the South lost the war. (I've got a feeling Letty will answer with a song.)

Well, there's our Raggedy. Thanks PA for the celeb update.

Wow! Conrad Aiken. Another favorite of mine and believe it or not, I watched Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil again last night.

Ah, so sorry to disappoint our Raggedy, but the following is not a song. <smile>

Article from American History Magazine




Why the South Lost the Civil War



Ten Civil War historians provide some contrasting -- and probably controversial -- views on how and why the Confederate cause ultimately ended in defeat.
Interviews by Carl Zebrowski



"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike at him as hard as you can and as often as you can, and keep moving on."

Put that way, the business of fighting and winning wars sounds simple enough. And perhaps it was simple in the mind of the man who so concisely described the complex art: General Ulysses S. Grant. After assuming command of all Union armies in March 1864, Grant crushed the Confederacy in about one year.

See, I told you that it would be brief.

apropos of nothing, i'd like to share a joke i learned on my recent trip; if nothing else, it shows you can learn things outside of a2k.

what do you do if you're agnostic, dyslexic, and an insomniac?

stay up all night wondering if dog exists. ;-)

Hee! Hee! Well, Yit. I think you lay awake all night wondering if there really is a dog.

actually, i'm a sound sleeper; otherwise, i probably would. but wouldn't you know, right after i posted it, i did a search through a2k and discovered that this joke gets repeated about once a year, but at least i'm the first to post it this year.

Indeed, Yit. But it's always and forever humorous, right listeners?

Well, I have some ordinary stuff to do, so it's time for a station break:

This is cyber space, WA2K radio.

Just an announcement during this break: since we'll have visitors from tomorrow onwards for 8 days (Mrs. and Mr. Steve), I most probably can't neither listen nor attribute much to this most wonderful program.


BEACH BOYS - "Radio King Dom"




A few days later the king and queen of the castle were invited to a ball
As they were leaving that evening the queen said to the young prince
Who was the eldest of the children
"Take care of the other ones tonight
And don't try to find that radio
We have it hidden away
We'll be home by midnight"
And then she said "goodbye"

The children's mother left
And the party had begun
And the children looked everywhere
High and low
Checking to see if they could find that transistor radio
They couldn't find it they couldn't find it
They looked upstairs and downstairs
All through the castle and finally
All of a sudden they heard a sound

What is that sound is it possible
Could it be the Pied Piper himself
Coming out of the magic transistor radio
Or was it just the wind whistling by the castle window

No one knows if the mysterious Pied Piper of Night
Was the one who came back to visit the princes and princesses again
But if you have a transistor radio and the lights are all out some night
Don't be very surprised if it turns to light green
And the whirling magic sound of the Pied Piper comes to visit you

(Bow bow)
(I'm the Pied Piper)
(Bow bow bow bow bow)
(In the radio)

(Bow bow)
(I'm the Pied Piper)
(Bow bow bow bow bow)
(In the radio)

(Bow bow)
(I'm the Pied Piper)
(Bow bow bow bow bow)
(In the radio)

Ah, Walter. We will miss you, but please give Mr. and Mrs. Steve a big hug from us, ok?

Wow, folks, that's one from the Beach Boys that I have never heard, but of course we all know The Pied Piper of Hamlin. loved it as a kid, still love it.

It must be the weather, folks, but I have a sense of impending doom. Truly, when the atmosphere gets heavy here, it weighs on my heart and soul.

Heart and Soul




(words by Frank Loesser, music by Hoagy Carmichael)
Heart and soul, I fell in love with you
Heart and soul, the way a fool would do,
madly
Because you held me tight
And stole a kiss in the night

Heart and soul, I begged to be adored
Lost control, and tumbled overboard,
gladly
That magic night we kissed
There in the moon mist

Oh! but your lips were thrilling, much too thrilling
Never before were mine so strangely willing

But now I see, what one embrace can do
Look at me, it's got me loving you
madly
That little kiss you stole
Held all my heart and soul.

I remember when my sister taught me to play that along with her on piano.