Mon. Misc.

"When I mark him and assail him..."

That's the gray death spirit named "Care" beginning her death chant to the 100 year old Faust, soon to be deceased. Thought of this this morning--there being nothing in literature more prescient on the dying process than Gray Care's chant from the Walter Arndt Translation, Part 2 of Goethe's Faust--the little cat, I fear, has been marked and assailed-- developed cancer in a front toe. We removed the toe but cancer reapeared. She's been hopping around gamely on 3 legs at age 20+. This morning it was obvious the cancer has spread to the good front leg. This likely means the clock is quickly ticking now. Has yet to fully sink in except it's doubtful she'll be around next week. Still considering. Goethe's work below. Worth the read if interested.

"Gray Care(Death Spirit):

When I mark him and assail him, nothing earthly will avail him.

Never ending gloom descending, sun his rise and fall suspending.

Unimpeded all outward senses, dark on dark the soul enfences...

Weal and woe in like redundance he must famish in abundance.

Be it gladness, be it sorrow, he defers it to the morrow.

Of the future ever heedful.

Ever mindful of the needful.

Faust: Desist. This will not work on me. Such caterwauling I despise. Be gone your wretched litany; might well unnerve a man, however wise.

(Care ignores him and continues chanting)

Gray Care:

Be it coming, be it going, all resolve is taken from him.

Down the highway's level coping, staggering he trips and groping.

Deeply mired and farther erring, senses mocking, vision blurring

Burden to himself and others, breath sustains no more than smothers.

Hung between despair and striving.

Thus, a languorous pursuing, hard retrieving, nauseous doing.

Now reprieving, now molesting,

Hollow sleep and shallow resting,

Keeps him shackled to his station,

and prepares him for damnation.

Faust: Unholy wraiths. For eons you have cast your spell on human kind just so.

The most indifferent days you have perverted to loathsome coils of involuted woe.

Not lightly is the spirit net uncast

Strict spirit bond is hard to sever.

And, yet, your power, O Care, insidiously vast, I shall not recognize it ever.

Care: Taste of it forthwith then, as rife with curse I turn away offended.

Man commonly is blind throughout his life,

My Faust, be blind then as you end it.

(She breathes on him and blinds him.)"