:: Saturday, July 31, 2004 ::

Alas, Babylon!

For those of you wondering why this blog is called Alas, Babylon! or why the url is ceruleaneyes.blogspot.com, I thought I'd post a poem I wrote a few years back which is the inspiration for those names. So without further ado, I present:


Alas, Babylon!

When the hour's late and fires low
Remember back to long ago
To an ancient age forever gone
The glory of lost Babylon

Within her brilliant, sun-drenched walls
I was god and king of all
Atop my mighty ziggurat
I sat enthroned, deep in thought

Of you, my slave, your beauty fair
Copper skin and raven hair
Cerulean eyes, rimmed with kohl
Deep within I saw your soul

An ancient spirit, holy, divine
I thereby vowed to make you mine
Jus primae noctis was my right
And so I took you on that night

When dawn's first rays caressed the walls
I brought you to the royal halls
Deep within my shining palace
And raised on high the Sacred Chalice

I anointed you with blessed wine
And incense in the hallowed shrine
Enthroned you at my right-hand side
My goddess, queen, and precious prize

My love for you outshone the sun
But you burned with hate for what I'd done
From your golden throne you refused to reign
Your azure eyes were filled with pain

To appease you I had statues formed
Monuments to your grace and charm
Enshrined in temples for all to laud
You their goddess and I their god

But still my love you always spurned
My kingdom's fortune soon would turn
For as I grew ever more alone
The seeds of discontent were sown

The gods of life became enraged
Their anger could not be assuaged
For as the Hellenes would come to know
Hubris only leads to woe

Famine, drought, rebellion, war
Plague and flood, and locusts galore
For succor and aid my people cried
But I heard only my silent bride

My mighty walls they cracked and fell
While death rang out from temple bells
My people fled, hearts filled with fright
And left us with the endless night

Watching as my kingdom grand
Sank beneath the shifting sands
And though your soul was filled with tears
Your cobalt eyes were once more clear

For though you wept for splendor lost
I had finally paid the cost
Of taking you against your will
And holding you as I held you still

But as the tears ran down your face
I saw once more your divine grace
Your beauty never was more rare
Than on that night of dark despair

And so I freed you from the bonds
That held your soul for far too long
You flew away to lands unknown
And I again was left alone

So when the night is dark and deep
And the world has fallen into sleep
Remember back to days bygone
The glory of lost Babylon!

© Robert G. McCreary 1997-2005


And that, my friends, is the meaning of Alas, Babylon!

:: posted by Rob 9:38 PM [+] :: 1 comments
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Free at Last

Yay! I'm finally done with work. Yes, that's right, no longer am I a wage slave of United Colors of Benetton. Friday was supposed to be my last day, but as they decided to move to our new "warehouse" (and I use the term liberally and with more than just a grain of salt) during my last week, I decided to call in sick on my last 2 days. Unprofessional, you say? Well I had 3 days of "personal time" left that they said they wouldn't pay me, and they didn't give me the days as requested personal days off, so I decided to take advanatge of them and avoid the annoyance that would come of working with those idiots for 2 more days. And by idiots I mean the people I work(ed) for, not work(ed) with. And not only did they try to make me work more hours in my last week, they even asked me if I'd work a few more days. HAH! Umm, hello? I'm moving to Sweden! I can't believe I stayed there almost 2 years. Maybe they're not the only ones who are idiots... So anyways, that's all done - FINALLY. Believe me, I won't be looking back.

I had my yard sale this weekend - I think the weather conspired to keep attendance low (coupled with a lack of advertising), so I didn't sell as much as I wanted to. But I did sell some "high-ticket" items, so the money wasn't too bad, and I got more money than expected when I sold some books and CDs to a used book store and music store, respectively. All in all, I'm pleased with the money made with my sales. That's what's financing my few days of "vacation" before settling and buckling down with my studies in Sweden, so it will serve me well without having to dip into my living expense money for the next year.

Only 14 days left until I leave! Ack! I am so busy right now, with so much to do. Here's hoping I get it all done, or the Grove at Flynn's Crossing is gonna have an apartment full of crap to deal with when I leave. What's up with this sleep thing anyway? I'd have plenty of time if I didn't have to do that every night. Oh well, I'll just have to deal with what I've got. Pack, pack, pack....

:: posted by Rob 8:48 PM [+] :: 0 comments
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Comments?

So I think I've finally enabled comments on my blog. That way if you see something you want to comment on and don't want to send me an email, you can say what you want right then, from the safety and comfort of your own browser. Check it out! Just click on the # comments in the byline below (after the time posted), and it will take you to the comments page for this post. Click on Post a Comment and you're all set to go.

:: posted by Rob 1:03 AM [+] :: 2 comments
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Foreign Nights

I finally got my housing confirmation for Sweden today. Yay! It's pretty exciting, actually having a place to live for the next year or so. Of couorse, I still have lots to do to get ready to go, but at least everything is now covered on the Swedish side. Well, there is the little matter of actually attending class, poring through reams of course literature, and a little thing called a Master's thesis, but let's take things one step at a time, shall we?

I also found a cool link to a live webcam in Falun, the city where I'll be living. I have no idea of any of the details, but it's a nice shot of the skyline, and a good way to check the weather at a moment's notice!

:: posted by Rob 3:18 AM [+] :: 0 comments
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I am a Third World Child

Tuesday night I went to see Johnny Clegg at the 9:30 Club in DC. All I can say is WOW! Hands down, it was one of the best, most energetic, and fun shows I have ever been to. Johnny Clegg is a South African musician, well-known internationally but not too well known here in the States. I've been a big fan of his for awhile, but have never had the chance to see him live before. (And as I found out at the show, it's been 9 years since he's been to DC, so that may be part of it.) In any case, I highly recommend his music to anyone.

Johnny Clegg started his music career in South Africa in the late 70's, forming a band called Juluka with a Zulu guitarist named Sipho Mchunu. This was during the height of the Apartheid era in South Africa, and as Juluka was a mixed-racial band, and sang songs in both English and Zulu, they were in violation of South Africa's cultural segregation laws. It didn't help that many of their songs were of a political bent, either. Their songs were banned, shows were shut down by the police, but they still became an important voice for the anti-Apartheid movement. In the 80's, Sipho returned to his farm in Zululand, and Johnny formed a new band called Johnny Clegg & Savuka, which gained even more international recognition. Eventually, Savuka broke up, but Johnny still plays with a new band playing all his old music.

So on to the show. As I said, it was very energetic and fun. The 9:30 Club is pretty small, with no seating, and while it wasn't packed to the gills, there was still a good number of people there. The dance floor was pretty packed, and almost everybody was dancing. Traditional Zulu dancing has long been a part of the band's repertoire and Johnny was right up there dancing with his band, while those of us in the audience were dancing as well. The biggest thing that struck me about the show was how much fun the band, and Johnny in particular, seemed to be having. I'm sure most touring bands enjoy what they're doing and have fun doing it, but I have never seen or felt such a palpable sense of joy emanating from the stage before. It was truly an experience, and I'm having trouble finding the words to express it. And because of the size of the club, I was like 10 feet from Johnny, right up there on stage. Very cool, and definitely closer to the band than you would get with even first row seats at a larger venue.

The music itself didn't disappoint either. He played some new stuff from albums that haven't been released in the U.S., as well as old favorites. He played some pretty obscure old material too, which surprised me, especially since some of those very songs are some of my favorites. Highlights of the set included the anthemic One (Hu')Man, One Vote, which was a huge hit with the crowd, who danced and sang along and yelled out the chorus; Asimbonanga, a haunting song honoring Nelson Mandela as well as those who died in the struggle against Apartheid such as Steve Biko; Dela, which was a big active rousing number that got everybody dancing more with a call-and-response; and even a request from an audience member: Impi, a song telling of a historical battle between the (victorious) Zulus and the British Army back in the 19th century.

All in all, well worth the 25 bucks for the ticket, and definitely the best Tuesday night I've ever spent. Thanks Johnny! Now if only he'll come to Sweden...

:: posted by Rob 6:03 PM [+] :: 0 comments
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