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C O N C O R D R E S O L U T I O N New View on Money Column #97 – Monday, December 22, 2008 A WINTER SOLSTICE POETIC INTERLUDE The people is a beast of muddy brain But the beast fears, and what the child demands, It does; nor its own terror understands, Confused and stupefied by bugbears vain. Most wonderful! with its own hands it ties And gags itself – gives itself death and war For pence doled out by kings from its own stores. It own are all things between earth and heaven, But this is knows not; and if one arise To tell this truth, it kills him unforgiven. Tomasso Campanella From the Italian poem, "The People" Translated by John Addington Symonds
To whom it many concern, this note of hand They almost maul the donor in the crush. The gems he flicks around as in a dream, And snatchers fill the hall in greedy dream. But lo, a trick quite new to me: The thing each seizes eagerly Rewards him with a scurvy pay, The gift dissolves and floats away. The rascal offers wealth untold, But gives the glitter, not the gold.
Mephostopheles, the king's jester.
Both poems as quoted in Richard Kotlarz
www.concordresolution.org/column97.htm
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