155
Paradise Lost
1
terms
2
notes
saturnine
(en)
(adjective) born under or influenced astrologically by the planet Saturn / (adjective) cold and steady in mood; slow to act or change / (adjective) of a gloomy or surly disposition / (adjective) having a sardonic aspect
171
191
Pike: Who are we, Mr. Gordon? If we remain silent while they make the next war—who then are we with our silence? Accomplices, Citizen! Let me talk out my heart! Don't stop me! Citizens, they have taken our sons and mangled them to death! They have left us lonely in our old age. The bellyrobbers have taken clothes from our backs. We slept in subway toilets here In Arkansas we picked fruit. I followed the crops north and dreamed of a warmer sun. We lived on and hoped. We lived on garbage dumps. Two of us found canned prunes, ate them and were poisoned for weeks. One died. Now I can't die. But we gave up to despair and life took quiet years. We worked a little. Nights I drank myself insensible. Punched my own mouth. Yes, first American ancestors and me. The circle's complete. Running away, stealing away to stick the ostrich head in sand. Living on a boat as night watchman, tied to shore, not here nor there! The American jitters! Idealism! (Punches himself violently.) There's for idealism! For those blue-gutted Yankee Doodle bastards are making other wars while we sleep. And if we remain silent while they make this war, we are the guilty ones. For we are the people, and the people is and the government, tear them down from their high places if they dast do what they did in 1914 to '18. (Slowly sits tremblingly.)
Pike: Who are we, Mr. Gordon? If we remain silent while they make the next war—who then are we with our silence? Accomplices, Citizen! Let me talk out my heart! Don't stop me! Citizens, they have taken our sons and mangled them to death! They have left us lonely in our old age. The bellyrobbers have taken clothes from our backs. We slept in subway toilets here In Arkansas we picked fruit. I followed the crops north and dreamed of a warmer sun. We lived on and hoped. We lived on garbage dumps. Two of us found canned prunes, ate them and were poisoned for weeks. One died. Now I can't die. But we gave up to despair and life took quiet years. We worked a little. Nights I drank myself insensible. Punched my own mouth. Yes, first American ancestors and me. The circle's complete. Running away, stealing away to stick the ostrich head in sand. Living on a boat as night watchman, tied to shore, not here nor there! The American jitters! Idealism! (Punches himself violently.) There's for idealism! For those blue-gutted Yankee Doodle bastards are making other wars while we sleep. And if we remain silent while they make this war, we are the guilty ones. For we are the people, and the people is and the government, tear them down from their high places if they dast do what they did in 1914 to '18. (Slowly sits tremblingly.)
206
pike (in direct answer): Well, Gus is out there taking a shave.
Leo: Two and three in the morning sometimes I find him shaving in front of the mirror.
Pike: He wants to look good.
Leo: But three in the morning? For whom?
Pike: Man has to have something.
Leo: Tell me, my friend. You went around the country many times. You saw many kinds of people. Deep down in their cellars -- (pike starts eating and cracking nuts from bowl at elbow.)
Gus (entering): I shave and it come right out again.
sweet
pike (in direct answer): Well, Gus is out there taking a shave.
Leo: Two and three in the morning sometimes I find him shaving in front of the mirror.
Pike: He wants to look good.
Leo: But three in the morning? For whom?
Pike: Man has to have something.
Leo: Tell me, my friend. You went around the country many times. You saw many kinds of people. Deep down in their cellars -- (pike starts eating and cracking nuts from bowl at elbow.)
Gus (entering): I shave and it come right out again.
sweet