For those of us facing the abyss...

[Snook]

Dylan Thomas...

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

That is all.

Chuck (snook)

 

[Imperial One]

Carpe Diem!

Gather ye Rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to day,
To morrow will be dying.

This written in 1648

 

[themechanic]

 

[Red63440]

Dylan Thomas...

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

That is all.

Chuck (snook)

Wasn’t that poem in a Rodney Dangerfield movie…when he went back to school with his son?

 

[SteveSS]

I liked this poem. Believe it or not, it was written by William Smith. The actor who played the bad guy in 276 movies.

THE REAPER
I remember when my friends and I
Thought that youth and games would never die
We cherished the girls, grog and laughter
Ribald at night, meek mornings after
But now malt’s too strong and girls too young
All our stories old, our song’s been sung
We mumble in search of long dead wit
Humor now is the daily obit
Our high is sharing a friend’s demise
He was a fine lad, echo our lies
While we gloat that it’s him not me
Knowing that they always fall by three
Wallowing secure ’cause Sam was third
Surely there’s time ’fore my taps are heard
Then there’s news of the death of old Hugh
Well, hell, that clown never paid his due
Nights alone you feel the Reaper’s chill
Then at dawn there’s a fine, undead thrill
Check pulse, poke liver, no pain, no fear
Hit the bars ’cause he’s dead, you’re still here
No canes or taxis for you today
On this fine and smogless first of May
Jauntily out the door to the street
Gaily you greet all those that you meet
Then as you stroll you think of old Hugh
The wind sighs, “He was younger than you”
As a maverick tear rolls from your eye
You know you gotta laugh instead of cry
You’ve done some bad and you’ve done some good
You wouldn’t change things even if you could
’Cause through the years you’ve run a good race
The Reaper chased and couldn’t keep your pace
So toast those that live and those that die
And while you can, spit in the Reaper’s eye

 

[#41]

May you go marching in three measure time
Dressed up as asses, drunk to the nines
Swing from the rafters
Shouting those songs
Gone unsung for far too long

Drink to the dead all you still alive
We shall join them in good time
Should you go crossin' that silvery brook
It's best to leap before you look

- Clutch

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Well this is a jolly thread.... Isn't there enough depressing stuff going on in the world these days without thread about facing the Abyss?? Damn....

 

[1STMP]

Feeling a bit depressed tonight as another
of my lifelong friends has made the journey.
Like the Hank Williams' song "All my rowdy
friends have settled down", most of mine
are no longer of this earth other than where
they're laid to rest. I counted my close
friends on two hands. I've two fingers left.
God bless the spirit and influence they
instilled, and left behind.
The most recent to stand before the gates
was Mopar thru and thru. Vern H. Killjoy.
Vietnam Veteran, and the the best boss
of my 46 year career as a mechanical
engineer.

 

[Dan64]

Feeling a bit depressed tonight as another
of my lifelong friends has made the journey.
Like the Hank Williams' song "All my rowdy
friends have settled down", most of mine
are no longer of this earth other than where
they're laid to rest. I counted my close
friends on two hands. I've two fingers left.
God bless the spirit and influence they
instilled, and left behind.
The most recent to stand before the gates
was Mopar thru and thru. Vern H. Killjoy.
Vietnam Veteran, and the the best boss
of my 46 year career as a mechanical
engineer.
View attachment 1253526

I too feel that I have entered the "Corn bread and Ice Tea" phase of this deal.

 

[Hemirunner]

Leave all your Mopars to me, and wipe those tears, I’ll be ripping rubber and banging gears, cuz I ain’t going anywhere for another 40 years!

 

[Lefty71]

Do not go gentle into that good night,

It means "I don't take sh*t offa nobody" -- Rodney Dangerfield

Well this is a jolly thread.

That help? lol

 

[DeltaV]

“Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”

– Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

 

[Hilljack68]

I don't know what you're going through Chuck, but I will keep you in prayer. And know this: it doesn't have to be the abyss or the dying of the light.

 

[Snook]

I don't know what you're going through Chuck, but I will keep you in prayer. And know this: it doesn't have to be the abyss or the dying of the light.

View attachment 1253622

I'm fine, just an old fart who knows his days of working on these things without injuring myself are numbered. My wife is the one who's suffering with lupus & IPF but she's doing the best she can, good days and bad days. Thanks for the sentiment though. The point I was making is, do what we can and just don't take up EZ chair residence for the better part of our time if we can manage it. It's EZ to throw in the towel but I think we are hastening our demise in doing so. I always liked that Dylan Thomas piece.

Chuck (snook)

 

[joe smith]

LAGNAF

Lets All Get Naked And F.......

 

[Hilljack68]

Glad you're ok. Yeah, we never know how much time we have left, so live life now. I've barely been on FBBO for the past few months because my brother has been fighting brain cancer... a fight which he lost two weeks ago - 59 years young.

Live, laugh, love and drive that Mopar while it is still today, my friends.

 

[joe smith]

I liked this poem. Believe it or not, it was written by William Smith. The actor who played the bad guy in 276 movies.

View attachment 1253519 View attachment 1253520




THE REAPER
I remember when my friends and I
Thought that youth and games would never die
We cherished the girls, grog and laughter
Ribald at night, meek mornings after
But now malt’s too strong and girls too young
All our stories old, our song’s been sung
We mumble in search of long dead wit
Humor now is the daily obit
Our high is sharing a friend’s demise
He was a fine lad, echo our lies
While we gloat that it’s him not me
Knowing that they always fall by three
Wallowing secure ’cause Sam was third
Surely there’s time ’fore my taps are heard
Then there’s news of the death of old Hugh
Well, hell, that clown never paid his due
Nights alone you feel the Reaper’s chill
Then at dawn there’s a fine, undead thrill
Check pulse, poke liver, no pain, no fear
Hit the bars ’cause he’s dead, you’re still here
No canes or taxis for you today
On this fine and smogless first of May
Jauntily out the door to the street
Gaily you greet all those that you meet
Then as you stroll you think of old Hugh
The wind sighs, “He was younger than you”
As a maverick tear rolls from your eye
You know you gotta laugh instead of cry
You’ve done some bad and you’ve done some good
You wouldn’t change things even if you could
’Cause through the years you’ve run a good race
The Reaper chased and couldn’t keep your pace
So toast those that live and those that die
And while you can, spit in the Reaper’s eye

Read up on William Smith..... He was an amazingly accomplished man...

 

[fratzog lover]

Read up on William Smith..... He was an amazingly accomplished man...

He died last year I believe, would have to look it up. Someone you wouldnt mess with. He excelled at everything he tried, acting, bodybuilding, arm wrestling, etc.

 

[Dan64]

LAGNAF

Lets All Get Naked And F.......

F....forget why we are naked?

 

[themechanic]

“Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”

– Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

He went nuts when he was 45. I don't recommend his advice.