PRESIDENT'S CORNER - September 23, 2016

Reflections on Autumn:  As I write this on Thursday morning, the calendar has just flipped its leaves to reveal the beginning of AUTUMN! Finally, for us hot weather avoiders, the temperature will cool, the air will become crisp, the leaves will begin their annual dance of death [yes, it’s part of the traditional death of the old year to prepare for the coming of the new], and we can look forward to Holy Days and holidays. First up, now that the annual Hajj for Muslims is done, are the High Holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for our Jewish brethren, and then Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah and New Years.

Here at OLLI, we are about ready to launch the Fall term of classes in Morgantown and Charleston. There will be plenty to tempt you and keep you busy.

To get us in the mood, poetry! Haiku, anyone?

The beginning of autumn;
The sea and fields,
All one same green. [Basho]

The autumn of my life;
The moon is a flawless moon,
Nevertheless--    [Issa]

The beginning of autumn:
A lamp from someone’s house is seen;
It is not quite dark.   [Buson]

The flying leaves
In the field at the front
Are enticing the cat.  [Issa]

One of my favorite poets is William Blake, also a good artist that often illustrated his work. Here’s his paean to autumn…

To Autumn
O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stained
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof; there thou mayest rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe;
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

The narrow bud opens her beauties to
The sun, and love runs in her thrilling veins;
Blossoms hang round the brows of morning, and
Flourish down the bright cheek of modest eve,
Till clust’ring Summer breaks forth into singing,
And feather’d clouds strew flowers round her head.

“The spirits of the air live on the smell
Of fruit; and joy, with pinions light, roves round
The gardens, or sits singing in the trees.”
Thus sang the jolly Autumn as he sat;
Then rose, girded himself, and o’er the bleak
Hills fled from our sight; but left his golden load.

Finally, folks, a brief movie review. It appears that “Hell or High Water” will be here another week at the Carmike. I’m not a great fan of westerns but when two of the reviewers I respect said this was the best film of the year so far, and close to perfect, I took notice. It’s a modern tale of two brothers robbing banks and being pursued by Texas Ranger Jeff Bridges, in a fine performance. Why the brothers are robbing and how it concludes is very interesting. I agree that it is the best film I have seen so far this year.

Happy Autumn!

Jim Held, President