Tanka

Back to the shop with the van. Another bill to stretch to cover.

The dank darkness that
Holds my soul prisoner
Of the deepest night
Damned black crows perch to assure
I cannot escape its grasp


Today is

Black Ribbon Day -- Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania

European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism -- European Union

Flag Day -- Ukraine

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition

National Plumber's Day

National Spongecake Day

Nemeseia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (local festival to the goddess Nemesis)

Permanent Press Day

Ride the Wind Day

Romania Liberation Day

St. Apolinaris' Day

St. Rose of Lima's Day (Patron Saint of Peru, Central and South America, the Philippines, florists, and gardeners)

Umhlangaaa -- Swaziland (Reed Dance)

Valentino Day

Vulcanalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival to the god of fire)


Birthdays Today:

Kobe Bryant, 1978
River Phoenix, 1970
Queen Noor of Jordan, 1951
Shelley Long, 1949
Barbara Eden, 1934
Mark Russel, 1932
Vera Miles, 1930
Gene Kelly, 1912
Louis XVI, 1754


Today in History:

On the feast of Vulcan, Roman god of fire, Mt. Vesuvius begins to rumble, 79
Visigoths storm Rome, 410
Edward I executes William Wallace, Scottish patriot, for high treason, 1305
French explorer Jacques Cartier lands near Quebec City in his third voyage to Canada, 1541
Rabbi Joseph Caro completes his commentary of Tur Code, 1542
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of Huguenots in Paris, 1572
The first one-way streets open in London, 1617
Steamship service begins on the Great Lakes, 1818
Great Britian abolishes slavery in the colonies, 700,000 slaves are freed, 1833
Automobile tire chain is patented, 1904
Bryan Allan, in a Gossamer Condor, completes the first man-powered flight of one mile, 1977