Orion and the Angel of Light

I saw Orion this morning, before leaving for school. So beautiful. Indeed, I can echo the words of Switchfoot; "When I look at the stars, I see Someone else." (This picture was taken during the d'NA Reunion in Malacca, when I was stargazing with Jon and Tien Hui.)


Read in the papers today that Leatherback Turtles are effectively extinct in Malaysia. So sad.


Today's Poetry Speaks reading:

"The aim of writing poetry is to enable readers a little better to enjoy life or a little better to endure it."

--W.H. Auden

How true. Indeed all the times I've ever written poetry was when I was enjoying life, or else looking for a way to endure it.

I also remember quoting Auden at the Forensics Extemp finals earlier this year. The quote that was in Yancey's Disappointment with God; "We would rather be ruined than changed."


There's this song by Petra which talks about how the things we most desire may be the deadliest of snares; how the things of the world will blind us from the true light of God. Come to think of it, it's like light pollution. Our city lights and stadium floodlights have effectively banished the stars from our existence.

The song is called 'Angel of Light':

City lights are flashing, they call you to the streets
Hearts are filled with passion in everyone you meet
The Boulevard is waiting, it wants to get you high
Neon signs are waiting to sell you anything you want to buy
But I know your devices, it shouldn't seem so odd
You lied from the beginning, I see through your façade

Chorus:
Angel of light, I see you glow in the night
But you only bring darkness to my soul
Angel of light, You're telling me wrong is right
I won't let you're evil take control

They follow in your footsteps not knowing that you fell
Bumper to bumper on the freeway to hell
You lead them into wrong and you make it look so right
You lead them into darkness and make them think you lead them into light
But I know where you're going, too bad you're not alone
If it wasn't for the real light I might have never known

You got the clergy working overtime to widen the narrow way
You've got politicians everywhere listening to what you say
You've got false apostles teaching lies perverting the only way
You've got principalities and powers waiting to obey
You've got philosophies and vain deceipts lying to deceive
You've got hate, and greed, ungodly lusts in the deadly web you weave
Somehow you've got so many thinking you're not even there
One look is all it takes to get them blinded by your glare


These were the Weapons of Mass Depiction on the 5th of August. From left: my Nikon D50, Sean's Canon EOS 350D, and Yi-Jien's Nikon D70. (That's Yi-Jien's sister Yi-Xing on the left, but I don't know who the guy on the right is.)