Saturday, December 5, 2009

Remember Your Leaders...Mr. Robie and High School English

Langhorne, Pennsylvania.  Mr. Robie, one of my high school English teachers, died December 3rd.  He was 75. As I read the news, a drawer in my memory opened and the words inside begged me to say them out loud once more.

"She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word :
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time :
And all our yesterdays, have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle,
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing."
 (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, William Shakespeare)

We had been given an assignment in high school English.  We were to memorize something, basically anything (within reason of course), and then recite it in class in front of everyone.  The above words were what I chose.  I've never been able to forget them.  Oh, I may forget a word here and there, but most of the time they just flow off the top of my head at will.  I guess I chose them way back then because even in my limited experience of living in this world, they were very profound to me.  They still have not lost that profoundness.

It is only right that as I begin writing again on this blog that the first words should honor someone who taught me about words. Thank you Mr. Robie.  You made a difference in my life and I'm remembering you today.

Thank you Fitz for lettin' us know: