Worth a Thousand Words
Still shots from a nation under siege.
I may be back soon enough, revisiting all this with my usual words, words, words.
As they did with the Canadian Truckers, vaccine mandates, and everything else making the rounds, plenty have already weighed in, pinning most of the reasonable corners.
The best I can do is call in the closers.
Read on for bits of Bible and William Shakespeare paired with public domain photos from Depositphotos.com, a Kyiv-based content platform that’s showing the world how an outmanned army and civilian population resists a national invasion, odds be damned.
Yes, that’s right.
Putin’s united a nation in ways he couldn’t have imagined.
Many of these are uncredited, but all were taken within the past few weeks.
Unbroken
O Scotland, Scotland…
Horrified by his country’s downward spiral under illegitimate, treacherous Macbeth Scottish Thane Macduff rallies a hesitant prince Malcom, (the rightful heir) to join the resistance.
“Let us rather hold fast the mortal sword and, like good men, bestride our downfall’n birthdom. Each new morn new widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows strike heaven on the face… it resounds as if it felt with Scotland and yelled out like syllable of dolor.”
-Macbeth, Act IV, scene III
The Lord is My Shepherd
From Psalm 23, poured out by King David.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
This story shall the good man teach his son
Surrounded at Agincourt, Shakespeare’s King Henry the Fifth pours some fire into himself and his soldiers by telling those who don’t want to fight to leave.
“He which hath no stomach to this fight, let him depart; his passport shall be made and crowns for convoy put into his purse: We would not die in that man’s company that fears his fellowship to die with us…”
Noting what day it is—the Feast of Saint Crispin—he imagines the glory, the stories told and passed from generation to generation if they win.
“This day is called the feast of Crispian: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, and rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, and say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’ Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars and say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, but he’ll remember with advantages what feats he did that day: Then shall our names, familiar in his mouth as household words be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin to Crispian shall ne’er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remember’d; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother…
And gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
-Henry V, Act IV, Scene III
Laurence Olivier performed the speech to encourage British forces in World World Two. Later on, Kenneth Branagh carried the torch.
We don’t know how everything will shake out, but for underdogs everywhere, the words are transcendent.
Word from the Crocodiles:
Arm Ukraine.
Pray for those fighting, those fleeing, those brave Russians protesting in the streets, and for those standing watch to defend their flocks. Pray for brothers and sisters walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
If you’re so inclined, there’s organizations accepting donations to support refugees here, and here.
Thank you for reading.
