• 6 •
September 2012
Library Browsing
• 6 •
February 2013
February 2013
• 7 •
The Poet’s Corner
February is the month famous for recognizing
the birth of two of our well-known presidents,
Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The
Kirby Pines’ library has a rather recent book you
might enjoy in the non-fiction section.
Killing Lincoln
,
by Bill O’Reilly is a
historical narrative of
the events surrounding
the assassination of
Abraham Lincoln. In
1885,
the bloody saga
of America’s
Civil
War finally came to an
end. President Lincoln’
generous terms for
Robert E. Lee’s surrender
are devised to fulfill his dream of healing a divided
nation, with the former Confederates allowed to
reintegrate into America’s society. However, one
man by the name of John Wilkes Booth and his
accomplices were bitter and refused to be appeased.
President Lincoln was only one of three highly
ranked government targets. The conspiracy for the
assassinations seizes the reader’s attention and
doesn’t let go until the end.
In the spirit of American presidents, an
informative book in the Biography section is
Front
Row at the White House
by Helen Thomas, a member
of the White House Press Corps for eight presidents,
from Kennedy to Clinton. She reveals the constantly
changing relationship between the presidency and the
press. Ms. Thomas was assigned to that prestigious
press corps in 1961 and was the first woman to close
a press conference with “Thank you, Mr. President.”
Front Row at the White House
is a revealing memoir
and includes many anecdotes, observations and
personal details.
February also finds us remembering loved
ones and friends on Valentine’s Day. There are many
“
romance” books in the library, but readers may like
to take advantage of the following books:
Delta Wedding
by Eudora
Welty is a charming portrait
of a large Southern family, the
Fairchilds, who live on a large
plantation in the Mississippi
delta. The story, set in 1923, is
wonderfully woven describing
the ordinary events of family
life. It centers around the visit
of a nine year old relative, Laura McRaven, and the
Fairchild’s preparation for their daughters wedding.
This first novel of Eudora Welty has become an
American classic.
Richard Paul Evans is a popular author whose
bestselling novels have been published in seventeen
languages. His book,
The Sunflower
,
concerns
two young women who embark on a humanitarian
mission trip to Peru. Christine, jilted a week before
her wedding, and her friend Jessica find themselves
working at an orphanage named
The Sunflower. Christine meets
Paul Cook, a charismatic and
successful American doctor,
who is trying to cope with
painful memories from his
past. Unplanned events lead
the two into the Amazon to
face challenges.
FRIENDLY REMINDER:
When you check out a book, please:
1.
Stamp the DUE DATE on the book.
2.
Stamp the DUE DATE on the check-out
card and write your NAME and
APARTMENT NUMBER or GARDEN
HOME NUMBER
3.
Place the check-out card in the box
on the desk
Thank you,
The Library Committee
Finding a poem that could hold its place
between Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day was a
challenge. The choice is John Oxenham’s “Gadara,
A. D. 31” which recounts a familiar Bible story.
When Jesus removed the possessed men’s
demons into a herd of swine, and the swine were lost,
the swine lovers asked Jesus to leave the city. And
what is the relationship of this story to our upcoming
celebrations and to February’s featured poem? The
events leading to Easter present us opportunities for
reflection and choices.
As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, we will single
out those who will receive expressions of our love.
As the story and the poem reveal, our choices in life
are defined by who we are. Who we are is defined by
what we love. February -- what a good time to read
Matthew Chapter 8, verses 28-34 and Gadara, A. D.
31,
and to examine the treasures of our hearts.
Visit the Poet’s Corner bulletin board in the
Post Office and read an original work by a different
Poetry Group member each month. February’s
featured poet is Nita Heffernan.
Join us Monday, February 4, at 10 am in the
Ante Room for our next group session!
-
Val Reed, First Monday Poetry Group
“
GADARA, A.D. 31”
By John Oxenham
Rabbi, begone! Thy powers
Bring loss to us and ours.
Our ways are not as Thine.
Thou lovest men, we -- swine.
Oh, get you hence, Omnipotence,
And take this fool of Thine!
His soul? What care we for his soul?
What good to us that Thou hast made him whole,
Since we have lost our swine?
And Christ went sadly.
He had wrought for them a sign
Of Love, and Hope, and Tenderness divine;
They wanted -- swine.
Christ stands without your door and gently knocks;
But if your gold, or swine, the entrance blocks,
He forces no man’s hold -- he will depart,
And leave you to the treasures of your heart.
No cumbered chamber will the Master share,
But one swept bare
By cleansing fires, then plenished fresh and fair
With meekness, and humility, and prayer.
There will He come, yet, coming, even there
He stands and waits, and will no entrance win
Until the latch be lifted from within.
“
The Miracle of the Gaderene Swine” by Briton Riviere - 1883
