Dylan Thomas and a Brief Defense of Tanka

October 2, 2022 Lehan Edirisinghe

A library-scene quote—Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night”—sparked a short note about liking poetry and tanka

Grease’s “You’re the One That I Want”

1:30 a.m.

Grease - You're The One That I Want [HQ+Lyrics]

https://youtu.be/7oKPYe53h78

Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk”

1:30 a.m. (b)

Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars

https://youtu.be/OPf0YbXqDm0

Michelle Pfeiffer

Scarface’s “She’s on Fire”

1:30 a.m. (c)

Scarface - She's on Fire

https://youtu.be/owWRPfieJxo

[Verse 1]

Don't be mistaken by the first impression

And watch out for that innocent expression

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[Chorus]

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[Verse 2]

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'Cause she can tame your heart like a child

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[Chorus]

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[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus]

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[Outro]

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Coolio’s “C U When U Get There”

1:30 a.m. (d)

Coolio - C U When U Get There (feat. 40 Thevz) [Official Music Video]

https://youtu.be/VzDN7mCDoC0

I'll see you when you get there

If you ever get there

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Tony Montana’s Proposal and “Push It to the Limit”

1:30 a.m. (f)

TONY MONTANA

Push It To The Limit (scarface)

https://youtu.be/9D-QD_HIfjA

[proposing to a girl]

Okay, here's the story. I come from the gutter. I know that. I got no education......but that's okay. I know the street, and I'm making all the right connections. With the right woman, there's no stopping me. I could go right to the top. Anyway......what I got to tell you is this: I like you. I liked you the first time I laid eyes on you.

The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy”

1:45 a.m.

The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy (Official Video) [4K]

https://youtu.be/_JZom_gVfuw

Wishing for a French Teacher and Sharing “Ghetto Gospel”

1:45 a.m. (b)

A bit like Miss ████! I wish I had her for my French teacher lol!

The Poot In the Poot

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2Pac - Ghetto Gospel

https://youtu.be/Do5MMmEygsY

2Pac’s “Changes”

1:45 a.m. (c)

2Pac - Changes ft. Talent

https://youtu.be/eXvBjCO19QY

The image is a scene from a video frame set in what appears to be a library or classroom. It features a young man leaning on a table, looking contemplative and somewhat pensive. He is dressed in a green jacket over a maroon shirt, with his head resting on his hand, suggesting a moment of introspection or fatigue. The background is softly blurred, indicating a focus on the individual in the foreground. Books and shelves are visible, reinforcing the library or educational setting. The lighting is soft and natural, giving the scene a calm, subdued atmosphere. The subtitle at the bottom of the frame reads, "Do not go gentle into that good night," a famous line from a poem by Dylan Thomas, suggesting themes of resistance and defiance. The overall mood of the scene is thoughtful and introspective.

Praising My Tanka Poems Over Other Writers’ Attempts

2:15 a.m.

I like poetry a little bit. My Tanka poems are so much, in just a few stanzas, than ████████████████'s terrible Haiku, and also, whatever attempt by Matt Mullenweg, and also that guy, Emperor Hirohito.

Imagining a War Crimes Investigation After Twenty Years of Peace

3:30 a.m.

After like 20 years of peace, nobody is saying:

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Wanting to Try Foie Gras After Loving Chicken Liver

3:30 a.m. (b)

Hirshon would probably like this place

I also have a big thing for chicken liver

I gotta try foie gras or fatty goose liver

Joking About “Poulet de Poot”

3:30 a.m. (c)

Hehehe

Poulet de Poot

Breaking Promises, Forgetting Guilt and Joking About Masonry

3:30 a.m. (e)

Hehehe I also make promises but I break them because I don't really care. I think my promises to my dad, I forgot about them. I was feeling guilty for quite some time and then I forgot about them. It depends really. I guess, I'm a good lawyer.

"When were you first a mason?"

"In my heart"

"No, it's Lehan, don't ask him that"

"In my black █████████ heart"