Friday, December 09, 2005

Friday Nudibranch Blogging


If "compression is the first grace of style,"
Nembrotha lineolata has it. Contractility is a virtue
as modesty is a virtue.
It is not the acquisition of any one thing
that is able to adorn,
or the incidental quality that occurs
as a concomitant of something well said,
that we value in style,
but the principle that is hid:
in the absence of feet, “a method of conclusions”;
“a knowledge of principles”,
in the curious phenomenon of your occipital horn.

--Marianne Moore, very slightly adapted for the occasion by yours truly

6 comments:

scout prime said...

Cool!!!

watertiger said...

It looks like it's smiling!

Phila said...

ChiDyke,

No connection, really. I just like them. I studied marine biology in college, and was captivated by them, and when I "needed" an animal to blog it seemed like the logical choice.

four legs good said...

It looks like a noble steed!!


Coolio.

Anonymous said...

phila, i look forward to your descriptions of these mighty beasts at least as much as i do to the photos....thanks!

isabelita said...

What a lovely elegant beasty. Your choice of accompanying verse is perfect.