My dictator's better than your dictator

Random quote of the day:


"Totalitarian societies generally exaggerate their virtues. They tend to think better of themselves than they ought to. And democratic societies—societies like ours, a free society—tends to exaggerate its vices, and to think worse of itself than it ought to. And if we had our choice, I would certainly choose the latter. I think it’s much better to exaggerate the evils in your society than to be illusioned about your virtues."

—Daniel J. Boorstin, interview, NewsHour








( Illustrated version. )

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

Whisper

From the notebooks, August 20, 1997:



Whisper

His voice like waves whispering
soft and sibilant, heavy
against the shores of my neck,
against the shell of my ear,
breath warmly cascading
against my cheek,
from the rose of his speaking.

What does he whisper?
My dreams know but won't tell.

Scent like burnt almond,
like sea brine and citrus,
breathing into me,
all around me, swamping me,
penetrating like the mist
forming on his limestone brow.

Soft, soft, soft sighing,
brush of willow hair falling
into alpine eyes.

This flesh
is like nothing but sweet flesh,
uncontained by metaphor,
softer then words,
drowning me with sighs
and the gentle ebb and flow
of lips and of tongues.