|
About us Worship and Events Writing Contact us
|
|
Serving God in the heart of our community since 1881 St Andrew's Church, Taunton |
 |
|
|
|
||
|
Henry's Goat's Blog Parts 15 and 16
15 April 2007
What lovely replies I’ve received to my blog, From Tricia the Reader, and Jessica dog, And Webmaster Adrian, who, on a day, Partook of a pizza down Basingstoke way, And passing the Henge he remembered my tales Of winter, and snow, and Preseli in Wales, And waved at the Stones and the people around (We couldn’t do that from a road below ground). For all your kind verses, I thank you again, To Adrian, Tricia and Jessica Jane.
24 April 2007
Instead of some verses composed by That Goat This time it’s a poem that someone else wrote – A poet who lived quite a long time ago; He lived in the States, as perhaps you may know; His name was J Malins (he wasn’t a goat), And this little tale is the story he wrote:
’Twas a dangerous cliff, with the wind blowing stiff, though to walk near its edge was so pleasant’ but down it there fell – as they knew very well – too many an unwary peasant.
The people said something would have to be done, but their projects did not at all tally: should they put up a fence at the top of the cliff, or an ambulance down in the valley?
The lament of the crowd was profound and quite loud, as their hearts overflowed with much pity. Then the vote for the ambulance carried the day, and news spread to the neighbouring city.
A collection was made to accumulate aid and the dwellers in highway and alley, gave dollars and cents, to provide… not a fence, but an ambulance down in the valley.
‘For the cliff is all right if you're careful’, they said, ‘and if folks ever slip and are dropping, it isn’t the slipping and dropping that hurts, it’s the shock down below when they're stopping.’
So for many a year, as these mishaps occur, quick forth do the rescuers sally, to pick up the victims who fall from the cliff with the ambulance down in the valley.
Then one made a plea: ‘It's a marvel to me that you'd give so much greater attention to repairing results than to curing the cause; why, you'd much better aim at prevention.
‘For the mischief of course should be stopped at its source. Come, neighbours and friends, let us rally: it makes far better sense to rely on a fence than an ambulance down in the valley.’
‘He's wrong in his head’, the majority said. ‘He would end all our earnest endeavour. He's the kind who would shirk this responsible work, but we will support it for ever.
‘Aren't we picking up all just as fast as they fall, and giving them care liberally? A superfluous fence is of no consequence, if the ambulance works in the valley.’
Now this story seems queer as I've given it here, but things often occur which are stranger. More humane, we assert, to repair all the hurt than to plan on removing the danger.
The best possible course is to safeguard the source, and attend to the thing rationally. Let us put up a fence, and then let us dispense with the ambulance down in the valley.
This poem he wrote in 1895, A long time before you and I were alive; It’s still good today, as I’m sure you’ll agree – It shows you how stupid some humans can be.
Poem quoted is by Joseph Malins, 1895
|
Page updated 28/09/2007
