FIVE WISE LINES [December 2025]

William Blake painting of Urizen praying to the world he created, an illustration from "Song of Los."
William Blake:
Urizen prays to the world he created (1795)
Song of Los

I must create a system
or be enslaved by another man’s…

william blake; Jerusalem: The emanation of the great albion

Saying Yoga exists to make one more flexible
is like saying that it exists to wring farts out of one’s body,
both will happen — neither is the primary objective.

Me

He that is without sin among you,
let him first cast a stone at her…

JESUS; John 8:7

The best government is that which governs least.

Henry david thoreau, Civil Disobedience

Gods always behave like the people who make them…

zora neale hurston; Tell my horse

DAILY PHOTO: Murals on Urban Walkways

Roanoke River Greenway.
Atlanta Beltline
Kolkata

Question Tree [Haiku]

one strange tree
curls like a question mark:
Autumnal forest.

PROMPT: Eating Meat

Daily writing prompt
What are your feelings about eating meat?

I have no strong feelings. Everything that lives becomes food, so I don’t see a sound moral argument against meat. There is certainly a nutritional argument against eating excessive quantities of meat (which I would grant many meat-eaters do) but this is not an argument for dropping meat altogether. I accept that there is a reasonable environmental argument, but — counterpoint — it’s delicious.

I see no argument at all against choosing to eat vegetarian or vegan, so I certainly wouldn’t try to talk anyone out of their decision to do so. (i.e. The “you can’t get enough protein” argument is bullshit.)

DAILY PHOTO: Illuminights, Roanoke

PROMPT: Wear

Daily writing prompt
What are your two favorite things to wear?

A Jetpack and Rollerblades.

PROMPT: Technology

Daily writing prompt
What technology would you be better off without, why?

Blenders. They’re loud, annoying sounding, and we have both liquid and solid foods — there is no cause for liquifying solid foods.

Plus, I’m fond of all ten fingers.

DAILY PHOTO: Sky Fire

DAILY PHOTO: Owl Carving, Hart County Botanical Garden

PROMPT: Hardest Decision

Daily writing prompt
What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why?

Whether or not to watch Sophie’s Choice. Because it might diminish the difficulty of all future choices.