"TERENCE, this is stupid stuff..."

is the first line of my favorite poem of all time. It's by A.E. Housman, and I think he put it at the end of his collection (linked to the title above), A Shropshire Lad, because he saw it as I do - as a kind of dessert after eating the meat and vegetables of the rest of the book. Unfortunately, it's Baked Alaska following plain (but healthful) fare.

It's difficult to say anything about Housman's poetry in general, or A Shropshire Lad in particular, that he doesn't say himself in "Terence." Although, one thing he doesn't say, in any of his writings, is that the darkness of them may have been the result of the fact that he was a gay man in Victorian and Edwardian England. And abstinance didn't make him as happy as he could have been.

"Terence" is Housman's justification of the dark subjects he usually wrote about. And even knowing that - how uninspiring it sounds - I love it because it's such a personal story, with a clear moral (though without sacrificing the story, or forcing the rhyme-scheme) and a wonderful ancient history lesson to boot.

The thing's kind of a mini-epic - and it's funny, informative and sobering.

I...OMG! The Packers are playing today!!

OK! The game's tied 14-14! You can say I haven't missed anything.

Snowin' hard at Lambeau Field! Awesome.

Fumble...the Pack's got it!

I'm not gonna do a play by play ... Favre lobs a TD!
.......

Oh, isn't that fun? Blogger just wiped out my brilliant description of Favre's escape from the sackers and the shovel pass for first and goal that set up an easy three yard run for touchdown.

The Pack has now tied the team record for first half points in the playoffs with 28.

Seattle scored a Field Goal. Score now 28-17.
.........
OK, after all that crap, the score is now 42-20. A new Packers record for post-season points.

The Packers finally have to punt. Crap!
.......
Special Secret Double Delux Bistro Burger!

Wait to buy it until the owner gets back in charge.
......
Nobody's able to move the ball in this weather.
........
Seattle pulls a couple running plays and the game's over!

Favre 173 yards, 3 TDs. And my daughter was impressed by the announcer's mention of the snowball.