"Keep Ancient Lands, Your Storied Pomp!" Cries She With Silent Lips
This woman is crying because she has seen the horrors of genocidal war, up to and probably including the deaths of those closest to her in the most brutal and inhumane ways possible. I know what this woman feels. This is what I felt when Italy scored the first goal against the United States.




This man knows neither fear nor sorrow nor shame. He glides through the rigors of existence unhindered by the restrictions of doubt, anxiety or regret. He forges ever forward, content to leave the past behind him. That which is given to him he appreciates without hesitation or reservation. He loves without condition, his heart and mind (without effort) approach ecstatic union with the oneness of the universe, in whatever form that may take. This is what I felt when unrelenting US pressure resulted in an Italy own-goal and tied the score 1-1.




This man feeds on the sorrow of others. He runs from all feelings of brotherhood and human connection, feeding his malice on the scraps of memory and loss, until it is bloated, still ravenous and consumes even him. He begrudges all those who have and brings them his own vicious brand of self-style vengeance, destruction and harm. This is what I felt for the referee when two US players were ejected for unwarranted red-card fouls vs. Italy.




This is a bear. It seeks only a brief respite from the great heavy coat of being, of knowing, of feeling. Beaten down, the basic animal soul seeks comfort in heavy sleep, knowing the relief is transitory and the nature of existing is suffering. This is how I felt when the Italy vs. USA match was over and we had survived, somehow still alive, with an improbable 1-1 draw.




Yes, this post was about soccer.

But USA vs. Italy was Saturday. Today was (is) Father's Day. Here is a pictorial representation of that:


I'm not sure what makes me more proud, the fact that my son thought enough of me to write this or that he had the presence of mind to heed his lawyer's advice when drafting this document and neglected to affix a signature before submitting it, thus absolving himself of any legal responsibility to reiterate or demonstrate the truth of these claims in the future. He goes to a really good school.


This post on the Narcissus Scale: 10.0


Pops



A VERY BRIEF FURTHER POINT OF SOCCER-RELATED ORDER

Thursday 22 June: USA beats Ghana and Italy beats the Czech Republic and the USA qualifies for the second round, the prestigious knock-out phase of the tournament. People will try to tell you this is complicated. That's because they are communists who want you to hate America's soccer team. Do not believe them. The second step down this road of lies is them asking you to participate in their plot to blow up the Statue of Liberty. So I must ask you: do you hate the Statue of Liberty? Support your team.
- posted by Pops @ 9:53 PM