Lie, lay, lain, laid, lied
Posted on | February 3, 2010 | 1 Comment
Beset for years by the popular destruction of English grammar (“lie and lay” being the bete noire) and dumbfounded by the sorry saga of John Edwards’ scandalous behavior, I wrote this little poem that speaks from my quirky wordplay side. I am not sure which is less susceptible to improvement — our grammar or our public morals — but it’s always worth a try.
Lie, lay, lain, laid, lied
For grammarians and scandalizers
He lies who says he never lies
where faithful men have never lain,
For he laid down his flowery words
when she lay down in conjugation’s loss.
Now, woman, lie in loss,
lay up some dreams for compensation.
Think not he lied to you,
for he has never lied to those with whom he’s lain.
Or did he lie when she was laid?
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William J. Everett
In my teaching career I authored eight books and numerous articles in social ethics and religion. After over thirty years of academic work — in Germany, India, and South Africa as well as in the United States — I wanted to turn my hand to a poetically written novel to probe the issues of ecological and human reconciliation.
When I am not writing, I create furniture for worship settings. For more about my work, go to www.WisdomsTable.net, where you will also find galleries of artwork by my wife Sylvia, whose ancestors were the original inspiration for Red Clay, Blood River. Click to read my complete bio...
Red Clay Blood River
Red Clay, Blood River is a story told by Earth about two brothers from Germany and an enslaved South African woman whose lives bind together America’s “Trail of Tears” and South Africa’s simultaneous “Great Trek” of 1838. Memories of their journeys through oppression, estrangement and reconciliation reverberate in the lives of three contemporary students brought together by their interests in ecology. Through their often difficult friendship and a surprising discovery they begin to unravel the mystery of their estrangements, struggles, and deep connections to each other and to the earth.
Based on extensive research in the United States, South Africa, and England, this book takes readers through a sweeping saga of love and conflict in the context of emigration, invasion, slavery, and exploitation. Through its stories we are invited to see our fractured human history from within the sensibilities of an earth that seeks the flourishing of all creatures and transcends their deaths within its life.
I welcome you to read Excerpts from Red Clay Blood River.
You can also view some Reader's Responses to the book.
If you are already reading Red Clay, Blood River, check out the Reader's Guide and Glossary of Names.
If you are in a Book Club, go to the Guide for Discussion Groups.
If you want to know more about people who helped me in writing this book check out the People Present at the Creation.
February 11th, 2010 @ 1:22 pm
Oh, this is good! I stopped by to see what’s new and to let you know that I’m going to add you to my blogroll on my new blog. Hope you are surviving all the storms.