{"id":5098,"date":"2004-10-29T14:55:34","date_gmt":"2004-10-29T18:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2004\/10\/29\/just-wright-for-an-autumn-day"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:58:17","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:58:17","slug":"just-wright-for-an-autumn-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2004\/10\/29\/just-wright-for-an-autumn-day\/","title":{"rendered":"just Wright for an autumn day"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Forget law or politics, and even Halloween plans.  Let’s spend a few quiet minutes<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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with the haiku of literary giant Richard Wright<\/FONT><\/A> [author of Native Son<\/FONT><\/A> and Black Boy<\/FONT><\/A><\/EM>]  <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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        I am nobody:<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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A red sinking autumn sun<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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         Took my name away<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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                                \"leaf<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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     This still afternoon<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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Is full of autumn sunlight<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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     And spring memories.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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     If pumpkins could talk,<\/EM><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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I am sure they would be<\/EM><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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        Reactionary!<\/EM><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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     A skinny scarecrow<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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And its skinnier shadow<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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      Fleeing a cold moon.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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\"leaf  from <\/FONT>Haiku: This Other World<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/EM><\/A>  (a collection of over 800 haiku, <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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published in 1998, almost 40 years after the author’s death).  A great haiku introduction or gift.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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