comfort is important

This is Hippocrates (first, do no harm), one of my artists' bears, and Virgil (named after the chimp in an old Matthew Broderick movie), the 1970s vintage Hermann chimpanzee. Devoted friends.

you all know

of course, that Emily Dickinson's entire oeuvre can be sung to the tune of The Yellow Rose of Texas. Right?

(Ohh,) Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –

(So,) We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed us –
(and) The Dews drew quivering and chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle – (!)


No, really. It works for all of them--

(Ohhh,) Ample make this bed.
(and yes,) Make this bed with awe;
In it wait till judgment break
(most) Excellent and fair.

Be its mattress straight,
(and) Be its pillow round;
Let no sunrise' yellow noise
Interrupt this ground. (Hey!)

But what you may not know is that The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales can be sung to the tune of The Lonely Goatherd. Don't believe me?

Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
Ladee odle ladee odle, lay hee hoo,
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
Ladee odle ladee odle oooh.

Lay, ho, ladee odle eeh hoo, lay ho, ladee odel ooh,
Lay ho, ladee odle eeh hoo, ladee odel ladee odel oooh!

..and so on. Told you!