Amazing Grace, Beowulf and Janis

I was going to blog about the troop withdrawl bill and the Democrat's proposal for the largest tax hike in American history. I find both subjects profoundly depressing: One will get us killed, the other one will get us broke. And the Dems will pass both with, as they say in Spanish, bombo y platillo, which literally translated is drums and cymbals, or in Monty Python's words, "with much rejoicing".

That will be the soundtrack of their grab for power, the echoes of which the Caliphate Islam will no doubt replay for propagandistic purposes. The same Caliphate Islam that denies its followers the pleasures of music.

I had outlined the post but before I finished it I was thinking of going to a lecture at the University discussing Presidential legacies and possibly using something from that lecture. However, even when the person giving the lecture is not a Bush hater, I know that the audience will be filled with people who actively despise the President.

They live in hate.

Their hate feeds their complacency which feeds their hate.

A couple of months ago I was at a lecture where being surrounded by such a crowd had a toxic effect on me.

This afternoon I decided I'd pass, both on the lecture and on the post (I would have been at the lecture right now). I'm saving my energy for Saturday.

So after going through my email I was visiting other blogs, and found that Hot Air has a video promoting Amazing Grace. I had posted about my experience with the hymn, but never got around posting about the movie. The movie is beautiful. My only misgiving is that only the first stanza of the hymn is played in the movie, when the others are more meaningful:

T'was Grace that taught
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
then when we've first begun.

Certainly a song for our times.

It's been a day for songs.

Today's class on Beowulf started with Janis Joplin: The professor started the lecture by playing a CD of Janis Joplin's Ball and Chain

Back when Janice was singing the blues I wasn't even in college yet, and I've been blessed with a happy life so I've never felt the kind of pain that compelled her to tear out her heart while saying,

Hon', tell me why love is like
Just like a ball
Just like a ball
Baaaaaaalllll
Oh daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy
And a chain.

But the lecture was interesting, in that the destructive force of Grendel is awakened by the song of the world.

Is the destructive force of our time awakened by the songs of our world? The songs of Grace, the songs of joy, the songs of love, the songs of heartbreak, all the songs we are free to create, and sing, and buy, and play - the songs that the evil in men's hearts will try to stifle?

One can't help but wonder.