Op-Ed piece in Times on personality traits of the U.S. generals who did, or did not, become Presidents. Explains a lot (if not all) about my troubles in po-biz land.

The also-rans (Winfield Scott, George McClellan, Wes Clark, etc.) wore their ambition on their sleeves, were stand-offish, took themselves SERIOUSLY. The winners (Grant, Eisenhower, etc.) were modest, easy-going, had the common touch, put their jobs (not themselves) first.

Maybe the main problem is that I identify with these generals at all. Here's my gr-gr-grand uncle Gen. Delos Sackett, with Abe Lincoln, at Antietam. He's the burly guy at the end of the row. (Also-ran McClellan was there as well. He's the nappy little Hotspur in the middle.)

Unable to focus on poetry.

Forsythia budding against wall on Prospect St. outside Rochambeau House.

Fascinating NY Times mag article on Sayyid Qutb, Islamic thinker/revolutionary, influence on Al Qaeda et al. According to Qutb one of the roots of Western corruption is separation of religion & state. I live in Providence, home of "separation of church & state" (Roger Williams). Some of my Gould ancestors came here in 1630s, with Anne Hutchinson, driven out by Boston theocracy. Others were Quakers. Gr-gr-etc-grandpa Zaccheus Gould, expelled from his Massachusetts church for "harboring Indians & Quakers" (one was his nephew). When he was finally re-admitted, he sat in his pew with his back to the pulpit.