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| Sebastiano Ricci Hercules overcoming Nessus 1706-07 fresco Sala d'Ercole, Palazzo Fenzi, Florence |
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| Sebastiano Ricci Corner of the Sala d'Ercole 1706-07 frescoes Palazzo Fenzi, Florence |
Old Folks
There was once an old man and his wife who lived deep in a wood to guard themselves against the hurt of the young, who are of the brutal joy, for they are with nature, and come as does nature. They from the outside, nature from within, to hurt old folks, who must build deep in a wood that place which is defended in secret.
The old folks also have guns, and have laid traps, and put bags of acid in the trees.
And are we safe? cries the old woman.
It's the flesh that I fear, guard it as one will, still it dies inside of itself, says the old husband.
We are to be gotten to no matter what we do, screams the old wife.
Your screaming doesn't help, screams the old man.
What helps? screams the old wife.
Nothing, save the hope of a life beyond this one, roars the old man.
But all I have is an old brain wrapped in gray hair; how can I know what I need to know? yells the old woman.
Yelling doesn't help, yells the old man.
What helps? roars the old woman.
Nothing, save that which was before us, and shall continue after us; that cosmic Presence which us so made – But not even It lifts one star, or changes the order of one day in our behalf – No, we are alone, and there is no help . . . And so we set traps and keep guns, and make ourselves secret, sighed the old man.
But what helps? screams the old woman.
Certainly not you, luxuriating in an old man's logic, hanging to his wits, which he loses in your incessant questions, roars the old man.
– by Russell Edson, from The Childhood of an Equestrian (1973)
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| Giuseppe Maria Tereni Sala delle Quattro Stagioni 1773 frescoes Villa Medicea del Poggio Imperiale, Florence |
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| Giuseppe Maria Tereni Sala delle Opere e dei Giorni 1773 frescoes Villa Medicea del Poggio Imperiale, Florence |
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| Giuseppe Maria Tereni Nobleman in front of a Tavern 1773 fresco Villa Medicea del Poggio Imperiale, Florence |
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| Sebastiano Ricci Cardinal Virtue 1706-07 fresco Sala d'Ercole, Palazzo Fenzi, Florence |
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| Sebastiano Ricci Cardinal Virtue 1706-07 fresco Sala d'Ercole, Palazzo Fenzi, Florence |
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| Sebastiano Ricci Cardinal Virtue 1706-07 fresco Sala d'Ercole, Palazzo Fenzi, Florence |
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| Sebastiano Ricci Cardinal Virtue 1706-07 fresco Sala d'Ercole, Palazzo Fenzi, Florence |
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| Francesco de Mura Legend of Theseus 1741-43 fresco Palazzo Reale, Turin |
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| Francesco de Mura Disciplines of the Olympic Games in Antiquity 1741-43 fresco Palazzo Reale, Turin |
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| Donato Creti Alexander the Great cuts the Gordion Knot 1710 fresco Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande, Bologna |
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| Donato Creti Alexander the Great cuts the Gordion Knot (detail) 1710 fresco Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande, Bologna |
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| Giambattista Tiepolo Pluto abducting Proserpine 1743-50 fresco Palazzo Labia, Venice |