Confederation Poets of Canada

Confederation Poets of Canada Confederation Poets of Canada Confederation changed life for Canadians, both politically and culturally. Canadian poetry reflected pride in the new country and its diverse landscapes. During this time, four poets rose to prominence for writing that extolled the natural beauty and pastoral culture of Canada. The literary critic and commentator Malcolm Ross dubbed them the Confederation Poets because they were all born in the 1860s when Canadian Confederation occurred. Bliss Carman Bliss Carman was born in 1861 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. After attending the University of New Brunswick, he wrote numerous poems, essays, and commentaries. He earned his income solely from writing and received the greatest international recognition of the Confederation Poets. His collection includes Vagabondia, Behind the Arras, and The Pipes of Pan. Archibald Lampman Lampman was born in 1861 and considered the Keats of Canada. He was renowned for poetry about nature. His works include Lyrics of Earth, Alcyone and Other Poems, and Amonth the Millet and Other Poems. Charles G.D. Roberts Charles Roberts is known as the â€Å"Father of Canadian Poetry.† He was born in 1860 in Douglas, New Brunswick, where he was homeschooled and was first published at the age of 12. He lived in the U.S. at one point and served in the Canadian military. His works include Orion and Other Poems, The Book of The Native, and The Vagrant of Time. Duncan Campbell Scott Duncan Scott was born in Ottawa and entered a life of civil service. During his free time, he wrote both prose and poetry. He received numerous writing awards throughout his lifetime and was named to the Royal Society of Canada. His poetry includes The Magic House and Other Poems, Labor and The Angel,and Via Borelius. Canadian Poetry is a Great Topic for Essays The poets of Canada are a great topic for history, literature, or writing class essays. No matter what topic you choose, can provide proofreading services to help give your writing the best possible presentation. We also offer writing and research services. Contact us at 800-573-0840 to see how we can help advance your academic success.

E-Commerce and E-Business Fundamentals (Business Report on WH SMITHS) Essay

E-Commerce and E-Business Fundamentals (Business Report on WH SMITHS) - Essay Example In addition, the corporations that cater to the requirements of media are more probable to obtain regular coverage as well as minimize the potential for errors in published stories. Moreover, the online press rooms are working as hubs for organizations, presetting the product information, latest news and visual elements to facilitate them better recognize products and services. In the scenario to enhance the online business corporations are now trying redevelop their business strategies. This report presents a detailed analysis of WH Smiths web based business re-development process and expected potential enhancements. Additionally, this report will offer a new and much better online strategy regarding the potential enhancement in the customary online business practice of the WH Smiths. This report will also present suggestions that can enhance the WH Smiths business and offer better competitive edge to the business. Business industry is by no means an exception to internet mania in view of the fact that, with the passage of time, the online business is turning out to be an exhortation. The online business means that people can buy and pay from home and even while sitting in their bedroom via an internet equipped PC or laptop. The universal wave of information technologies (ITs) development and implementation has turned out to be a driving force in approximately every part of human job. In this scenario, the internet that is a main element of this global wave has been transformed into a double-edged weapon offering a lot of opportunities, facilities, tools, and capabilities to individuals and corporations (Salifu, 2008). Liam (2009) stated that growing amount of people who make use of the internet is showing to be a boon intended for businesses that are interested in expanding their reach to the online community. Additionally, the huge number of internet clients shows a huge potential customer b ase that is there

Purpose of existence and after life in Islam Vs. Existentialism Essay

Purpose of existence and after life in Islam Vs. Existentialism - Essay Example The tradition of the Islamic religion outlines detailed actions regarding every aspect of life, which every Muslim must adhere to. These aspects include daily activities and rituals such as Namaaz, food etiquettes, respect for elders, marriage ceremonies, peaceful and friendly behavior towards neighbors, friends, relatives, and numerous aspects of daily life. thus we can say that the Koran is the code of conduct, a reference book for the Muslim community to lead a peaceful and content life while doing good deeds, for which they shall be rewarded in the life, hereafter, or after death. Existentialism is not a religion; it is a movement which began in the early 18th century, by a group of scholars. The movement is atheistic as it does not believe in God as the supreme power governing the actions and occurrences of the world. Existentialism is a way of life which determines that the actions of a person are based on free will. It states that morals, value and ethics in the life of an individual necessitate form the individual’s experiences of the world, and as such are based on personal perceptions. The movement is known to have begun by scholars like Soren Kierkegaard, who emphasizes on the occurrence of truth, rejecting the system of Hegelianism. He states that each individual has to pass through three stages in life. The other prominent scholar of existentialism, Friedrich Nietzsche, believes in the concept of â€Å"nothingness†. His famous quote, â€Å"God is Dead†, stems from the fact that more and more people are becoming atheist and that Christianity cannot be a basis for values, ethics and morals. He criticizes Western culture stating that there is an absence of morals and values in the culture. he believes that the strong will for â€Å"freedom† is the most dominating emotion over all the other wills of religion, morals and ethical values. He firmly

Night, mother by Marsha Norman Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Night, mother by Marsha Norman - Research Paper Example Basing on the plot, we can’t but consider a â€Å"Night, motherâ€Å" to be a dramatic writing. Jessie is so exhausted and upset, her life is so terrible that she considers death to be the blessing. She just wants â€Å"to rest† and the only place she can find calm and rest is another world. Jessie simply can’t see the reasons to live further, she can’t see anything in her life that could hold her to live. Thus her decision seems to be easy to take. â€Å"Jessie knows she could choose to live rather than to die, but she lacks the appetite for the choice† (Burkman). At the same time, we can admit that Jessie’s actions can be motivated by the desire to revenge her mother. Thus, we should also analyze Jessie’ s nature. From this point of view she seems not to be an unhappy victim, but an unforgiving creature. Here Jessie seems to be selfish as she made her mother go through very difficult ninety minutes. Moreover, she warned her about h er intentions and this seems to be done deliberately to make her suffer. We can admit that an unhappy woman parted from her beloved husband, suffering from illness, just turn into a neurotic creature that needs revenge. Really, suicides are never committed only because of despair, the motivation is usually closely connected with the desire to revenge. Thus, we can assume that manipulation is the motivation of Jessie, her main focus. Actually, her mother deserves that. Her mother is too childish, she concentrated her attention only on her own wishes. â€Å"â€Å"Mama hums a tune as she stretches to reach the cupcakes in a cabinet in the kitchen. She can’t see them, but she can feel around for them, and she’s eager to have one, so she’s working pretty hard at it. This may be the most serious exercise Mama ever gets† (Norman 9)†. She is so self-centered that can’t notice the state of her daughter and Jessie can’t find a key to her heart. The dialogues held by a mother and her daughter are very important in the play. A spectator can learn much from these dialogues. By means of different phrases mother and daughter try to reach their goals. Jessie tries to give her mother hints about her real intentions by specifying the locations of different household items: "I asked you if you wanted that swimming towel and you said you didn't" (Norman 19). This was daughter’s answer to the mother’s question that was asked to reveal her intentions. By means of such phrases with hidden sense Jessie manipulates her mother that is why some critics think that Jessie’s main intention was to manipulate. If she simply said: â€Å"mom, I am going to commit suicide†, it would not have such a result. She makes her mother afraid and worried and this is her decision as she wants her mother finally to pay attention to her and her problems. She is exhausted because she feels outcast and left alone with her

Introduction to Tort Law, Negligence

Introduction to Tort Law, Negligence Law is a system of rules created by the government in order to regulate and protect the society. Law is highly important to protect the rights of every member of the society from being harmed by others or even by themselves. The first case under analysis is related to Phil, who is a freelance airline catering truck driver and is being prosecuted for carelessly knocking down Colin while waiting at a set of traffic lights on the perimeter road of Heathrow Airport. On turning left at the lights Phil knocked down Colin, who sustained a broken collar bone, a broken leg and serious head injuries. Hilary, Colin’s wife, who was supposed to meet Colin at the traffic lights, witnessed the accident and suffered a nervous shock as a result. The other case refers to Ralf, a health and safety officer, who was visiting one of XYZ plc construction sites when was hit by a digger which Alex moved in order to get it out of the way of his truck. As a result, Ralf sustained two fractured ribs. Thi s assignment will have an analysis on both cases along with the claims that plaintiffs are able to bring and recommendations for the same. The modern tort of negligence has begun with the case of Donghue v Stevenson (1932). Negligence refers to conduct that falls below the standards established by law for the protection of others against unreasonable risk of harm. A person has acted negligently if he or she has departed from the conduct expected of a reasonable person acting under similar circumstances. Colin v Phil (2015) The parties in this case are Colin, who is the plaintiff, and Phil, who is the defendant. This case between Colin and Phil is a Tort of Negligence issue, under the civil law, as there is a breach of duty owed by the defendant to the plaintiff, resulting in damages to the plaintiff. Tort is a wrongdoing that results in injury to another person or damage to property. Cyclists, as legitimate road users, must follow all highway laws, and as they are especially vulnerable, should take extra care while at the highways. Trucks make wide turns and Colin should have been more cautious and waited behind the truck until Phil has completed the manoeuvre as the rear wheels come very close to the pavement while turning. At the time of the accident, Colin was wearing head phones, listening to an earlier â€Å"Legislative Frameworks† lecture, which is not considered illegal, however, it is unsafe as it reduces the individual’s concentration drastically. The rule 73 of the UK Highway Code states that â€Å"cyclists should pay particular attention to long vehicles which need more room than usual to manoeuvre at corners. Truck drivers may not see the cyclists. They may have to move over to the right before turning left. Cyclists should wait until the trucks have completed the manoeuvre as the rear wheels come very close to the kerb while turning. T he space between the long vehicles and the kerb should not be a temptation to cyclists†. Probably, if Colin was not wearing head phones, could have avoided this accident. Phil owed a duty of care towards Colin, therefore, the defendant is in breach of duty when fails to see Colin before turning left. Breach of duty occurs where a defendant falls below the standard of a reasonable person, in other words, he acted carelessly. Colin should be able to bring a claim against Phil due to his negligence driving – see Clenshaw V Tanner (2002). In order for Colin’s claim of tortuous liability to be succeed, primarily, certain fundamental factors need to be proved: i) the existence of a duty of care owed Phil to Colin; ii) Phil’s duty has been breached or broken; iii) the breach of duty resulted in Colin’s damage or injury. However, based upon Garatt v Saxby (2004), Phil may be able to reduce his damages if he proves that Colin’s negligence cycling has contributed to the accident by wearing head phones while cycling and standing on the nearside of his truck while waiting at the traffic lights – see Froom v Butcher 1976. Hilary v Phil (2015) In English law, claims for nervous shock are related to psychiatric injury or illness as a result of seeing or hearing an event caused by a negligent breach of duty. The leading case of Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire (1992), defines the primary and secondary victims and the requirements to be met by the latter. The secondary victim has to meet to be eligible to bring a claim, which is in addition to be owed a duty of care by the defendant. A claim for nervous shock is likely to be arise when an individual witnesses an accident in which a relative is injured. In order to succeed in a claim for psychiatric harm against Phil, Hilary will have to prove that she has a close tie and affection towards Colin, witnessed the accident with her own senses and proximity to the event and that her psychiatric illness was caused by it. Hilary witnessed her own husband Colin being severely injured when he collided with Phil’s truck at the lights, where was supposed to meet him. Th erefore, based upon Kelly v Hennessy (1995), Hilary would be able to bring a claim against Phil as she suffered a recognisable psychiatric illness caused by the defendant’s act. The parties in this case are Ralf, who is the plaintiff, Alex and XYZ plc, who are the defendants. This case between Ralf, Alex and XYZ plc is also a Tort of Negligence issue, under the civil law, as there is a breach of duty of care owed by the defendants towards the plaintiff, resulting in damages to the plaintiff. Ralf v Alex (2015) Every employees who work in construction sites have to be aware how dangerous their jobs may be in their workplaces. It is extremely important to make sure that every worker takes the all the precautions and wear safety equipment and follow all the safety rules while on site. Also, the employers and main contractors on duty have the obligation to provide a safe workplace and system of work. According to leighday.co.uk, 2 million people are currently employed in the construction industry, which represents only 5% of the employees in Britain, however, 22% of fatal accidents are related to this industry. Ralf sustained two fractured ribs as a result of being carelessly hit by a digger, which Alex was moving in order to get it out of the way of his truck. Alex, as a responsible construction employee, should be aware of the safety rules within construction sites and his prohibition of driving any vehicle on site, except his truck. Also, it is important to highlight that Alex was returning late from his lunch break at the time of the accident. Therefore, Ralph should be able to bring a claim against Alex due to his breach of duty, negligence driving and breach of contract, which led to causation, two broken ribs – see Donoghue v Stevenson 1932. Based upon Hadley v Baxendale (1854), breach of contract occurs when there is a failure to adhere to the terms of a valid contract. Ralf v XYZ plc (2015) As was already mentioned above, constructions sites are extremely dangerous environments, however, the employers or main contractors on site have the obligation to ensure the safety of any employees, contractors or visitors to the site in order to minimise any possible dangers. Ralf should be entitled to claim a compensation from XYZ plc to pay the medical treatments and cover the financial pressures from being unable to work, as the employers or main contractors on site have not done everything they could to stop him from being injured by Alex. Based upon Doughty v Turner Manufacturing Company(1964), this is an example of breach of duty of care as XYZ plc failed to provide a duty of care towards Ralph, resulting in damage on the safety officer. The supervisors on duty should be aware of what Alex was about to do and have stopped him. Duty of care is an obligation recognized by law requiring a person to conform to a certain standard of conduct for the protection of others. Finally, this assignment has provided an analysis of two cases. The first case is about Phil, a truck driver who is facing legal issues for carelessly knocking down Colin, a cyclist, at the perimeter road of Heathrow Airport, causing him serious injurious. As a result, Hilary (Colin’s wife who was supposed to meet her husband at the traffic lights), witnessed the accident and sustained a nervous shock as a result. The second case relates to Ralph, a health and safety officer, who was hit by Alex, a construction worker who is also facing legal issues for moving a digger in order to get it out of the way of his truck. As a result, Ralf has sustained two broken ribs. Along with the analysis, the assignment also provides a recommendation on both cases in order for the claims to succeed. 1520 Words References Hodge, S. (2004) Tort LAW, Devon: Willan Publishing Stone, R. (2008). The modern law of contract. London: Routledge-Cavendish. Harvey, B. and Marston, J. (2009). Cases and commentary on tort. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Elliot, E. and Quinn, F (2005) Tort Law. 5th ed. Essex. Pearson Education Ltd. Cooke, J. (2005),Law of Tort, 7thEdition.Pearson: Essex. vLex, (2015).Garratt v Saxby, Court of Appeal Civil Division, February 18, 2004, [2004] EWCA Civ 341,[2004] 1 WLR 2152 Case Law VLEX 52571340. [online] Available at: http://court-appeal.vlex.co.uk/vid/-52571340 [Accessed 6 May 2015] Leighday.co.uk, (2015).Construction industry accident claims | construction site compensation | leighday.co.uk. [online] Available at: http://www.leighday.co.uk/Illness-and-injury/Accident-and-personal-injury/Construction-industry-accident-claims [Accessed 6 May 2015]. Lawteacher.net, (2015).What is nervous shock? | Law Teacher. [online] Available at: http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/common-law/what-is-nervous-shock.php [Accessed 6 May 2015] Findlaw, (2015).Bicycle Accidents FindLaw. [online] Available at: http://injury.findlaw.com/car-accidents/bicycle-accidents.html [Accessed 6 May 2015] Irwin Mitchell, (2015).Construction Accident Compensation Claims | Irwin Mitchell. [online] Available at: http://www.irwinmitchell.com/personal/personal-injury-compensation/work-accident-illness-compensation-claims/construction-industry-accident-claims [Accessed 6 May 2015]

Sex Education in Schools Essay -- Teaching Education

Sex Education in Schools Sex education in schools now seems to be more and more of a controversial issue. People are arguing over what the curriculum should be in sex education, if it should be taught in schools or at home by parents and the main point of this paper if sex education is actually doing what it was set out to do. The idea behind this paper is to determine if sex education in schools really does keep down the amount of teens with STD’s or who become pregnant. The definition of sex education according to SIECUS (2002) â€Å"Sexuality education is a lifelong process of acquiring information and forming attitudes, beliefs, and values. It encompasses sexual development, reproductive health, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy, body image, and gender roles.† Sex education discusses important aspects of reproduction, sexuality, and just growing up in general in a physical and emotional sense. One would have to wonder though; does sex education actually serve its purpose? Does it enlighten teens enough about sex and the consequences, to the point where you can actually tell the difference between those who are sexually educated and those who are not? According to a study done bye Coyle (1999) sex education no matter where, at home or in school, and no matter the program does indeed help decrease the amount of teens having unsafe sex. Based on information from that same study about 3 million teenagers a year get an STD, and roughly 10% of adolescent females ages 15-19 get pregnant every year unintentionally. In an article from The Alan Guttmacher Institute (1999) there has been a 20% drop in female p regnancies between n 1990 and 1997 and the drop has continued, they have stated that the reason for this i... ...ow that sex education does indeed decrease the amount of teens who become pregnant and contract STD’s. There are a lot of people who choose to ignore statistics which state that they themselves and their children are at risk of getting a disease which would change their lives forever, or ignore the idea that their child could be having sex, and young teens who don’t believe they can get pregnant the first time having sex. Sex education informs and is an important part of a curriculum, just as much as Math and English, because an education is harder to get if you have a baby or if you spend a lot of time in the doctor’s office. Life is by no means over if a disease is contracted or if a baby is born, but it is defiantly life altering and it is by far better to know and be able to protect yourself than it is to be sheltered from what a few people could find profane.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 7

Chapter 7 And the angel said, â€Å"What prophet has this written? For in this book is foretold all the events which shall come to pass in the next week in the land of Days of Our Lives and All My Children.† And I said to the angel, â€Å"You fabulously feebleminded bundle of feathers, there's no prophet involved. They know what is going to happen because they write it all down in advance for the actors to perform.† â€Å"So it is written, so it shall be done,† said the angel. I crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed next to Raziel. His gaze never wavered from his Soap Opera Digest. I pushed the magazine down so the angel had to look me in the face. â€Å"Raziel, do you remember the time before mankind, the time when there were only the heavenly host and the Lord?† â€Å"Yes, those were the best of times. Except for the war, of course. But other than that, yes, wonderful times.† â€Å"And you angels were as strong and beautiful as divine imagination, your voices sang praise for the Lord and his glory to the ends of the universe, and yet the Lord saw fit to create us, mankind, weak, twisted, and profane, right?† â€Å"That's when it all started to go downhill, if you ask me,† Raziel said. â€Å"Well, do you know why the Lord decided to create us?† â€Å"No. Ours is not to question the Will.† â€Å"Because you are all dumbfucks, that's why. You're as mindless as the machinery of the stars. Angels are just pretty insects. Days of Our Lives is a show, Raziel, a play. It's not real, get it?† â€Å"No.† And he didn't. I've learned that there's a tradition in this time of telling funny stories about the stupidity of people with yellow hair. Guess where that started. I think that we all expected everything to go back to normal after the killer was found, but it seemed that the Romans were much more concerned with the extermination of the Sicarii then they were with a single resurrection. To be fair, I have to say that resurrections weren't that uncommon in those days. As I mentioned, we Jews were quick to get our dead into the ground, and with speed, there's bound to be errors. Occasionally some poor soul would fall unconscious during a fever and wake to find himself being wrapped in linen and prepared for the grave. But funerals were a nice way to get the family together, and there was always a fine meal afterward, so no one really complained, except perhaps those people who didn't wake before they were buried, and if they complained – well, I'm sure God heard them. (It paid to be a light sleeper, in my time.) So, impressed as they might have been with the walking dead, the next day the Romans began to round up suspected conspirators. The men in Maggie's family were hauled off to Sepphoris at dawn. No miracles would come to bring about the release of the prisoners, but neither were there any crucifixions announced in the days that followed. After two weeks had passed with no word of the fate or condition of the men, Maggie, her mother, her aunts, and her sisters went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and appealed to the Pharisees for help. The next day, the Pharisees from Nazareth, Japhia, and Sepphoris appeared at the Roman garrison to appeal to Justus for the release of the prisoners. I don't know what they said, or what sort of leverage they could possibly have used to move the Romans, but the following day, just after dawn, the men of Maggie's family staggered back into our village, beaten, starving, and covered with filth, but very much alive. There was no feast, no celebration for the return of the prisoners – we Jews walked softly for a few months to allow the Romans to settle down. Maggie seemed distant in the weeks that followed, and Josh and I never saw the smile that could make the breath catch in our throats. She seemed to be avoiding us, rushing out of the square whenever we saw her there, or on the Sabbath, staying so close to the women of her family that we couldn't talk to her. Finally, after a month had passed, with absolutely no regard for custom or common courtesy, Joshua insisted that we skip work and dragged me by the sleeve to Maggie's house. She was kneeling on the ground outside the door, grinding some barley with a millstone. We could see her mother moving around in the house and hear the sound of her father and older brother Simon (who was called Lazarus) working the forge next door. Maggie seemed to be lost in the rhythm of grinding the grain, so she didn't see us approach. Joshua put his hand on her shoulder, and without looking up, she smiled. â€Å"You are supposed to be building a house in Sepphoris,† she said. â€Å"We thought it more important to visit a sick friend.† â€Å"And who would that be?† â€Å"Who do you think?† â€Å"I'm not sick. In fact, I've been healed by the touch of the Messiah.† â€Å"I think not,† said Joshua. She finally looked up at him and her smile evaporated. â€Å"I can't be friends with you two anymore,† she said. â€Å"Things have changed.† â€Å"What, because your uncle was a Sicarii?† I said. â€Å"Don't be silly.† â€Å"No, because my mother made a bargain to get Iban to convince the other Pharisees to go to Sepphoris and plead for the men's lives.† â€Å"What kind of bargain?† Joshua asked. â€Å"I am betrothed.† She looked at the millstone again and a tear dripped into the powdered grain. We were both stunned. Josh took his hand from her shoulder and stepped back, then looked at me as if there was something I could do. I felt as if I would start crying at any second myself. I managed to choke out, â€Å"Who to?† â€Å"To Jakan,† Maggie said with a sob. â€Å"Iban's son? The creep? The bully?† Maggie nodded. Joshua covered his mouth and ran a few steps away, then threw up. I was tempted to join him, but instead I crouched in front of Maggie. â€Å"How long before you're married?† â€Å"I'm to be married a month after the Passover feast. Mother made him wait six months.† â€Å"Six months! Six months! That's forever, Maggie. Why, Jakan could be killed in a thousand heinous ways in six months, and that's just the ones I can think of right now. Why, someone could turn him in to the Romans for being a rebel. I'm not saying who, but someone might. It could happen.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Biff.† â€Å"Don't be sorry for me, why would you be sorry for me?† â€Å"I know how you feel, so I'm sorry.† I was thrown for a second. I glanced at Joshua to see if he could give me a clue, but he was still absorbed in splattering his breakfast in the dirt. â€Å"But it's Joshua who you love?† I finally said. â€Å"Does that make you feel any better?† â€Å"Well, no.† â€Å"Then I'm sorry.† She made as if to reach out to touch my cheek, but her mother called her before she made contact. â€Å"Right now, Mary, in this house!† Maggie nodded toward the barfing Messiah. â€Å"Take care of him.† â€Å"He'll be fine.† â€Å"And take care of yourself.† â€Å"I'll be fine too, Maggie. Don't forget I have an emergency backup wife. Besides, it's six months. A lot can happen in six months. It's not like we won't see you.† I was trying to sound more hopeful than I felt. â€Å"Take Joshua home,† she said. Then she quickly kissed me on the cheek and ran into the house. Joshua was completely against the idea of murdering Jakan, or even praying for harm to come to him. If anything, Joshua seemed more kindly disposed toward Jakan than he had been before, going as far as to seek him out and congratulate him on his betrothal to Maggie, an act that left me feeling angry and betrayed. I confronted Joshua in the olive grove, where he had gone to pray among the twisted tree trunks. â€Å"You coward,† I said, â€Å"you could strike him down if you wanted to.† â€Å"As could you,† he replied. â€Å"Yeah, but you can call the wrath of God down upon him. I'd have to sneak up behind him and brain him with a rock. There's a difference.† â€Å"And you would have me kill Jakan for what, your bad luck?† â€Å"Works for me.† â€Å"Is it so hard for you to give up what you never had?† â€Å"I had hope, Josh. You understand hope, don't you?† Sometimes he could be mightily dense, or so I thought. I didn't realize how much he was hurting inside, or how much he wanted to do something. â€Å"I think I understand hope, I'm just not sure that I am allowed to have any.† â€Å"Oh, don't start with that ‘Everyone gets something but me' speech. You've got plenty.† Josh wheeled on me, his eyes like fire, â€Å"Like what? What do I have?† â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wanted to say something about a really sexy mother, but that didn't seem like the sort of thing he wanted to hear. â€Å"Uh, you have God.† â€Å"So do you. So does everyone.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Not the Romans.† â€Å"There are Roman Jews.† â€Å"Well, you've got, uh – that healing-raising-the-dead thing.† â€Å"Oh yeah, and that's working really well.† â€Å"Well, you're the Messiah, what's that? That's something. If you told people you were the Messiah they'd have to do what you say.† â€Å"I can't tell them.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"I don't know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"Well, at least do something about Maggie.† â€Å"He can't,† came a voice from behind a tree. A golden glow emanated from either side of the trunk. â€Å"Who's there?† Joshua called. The angel Raziel stepped out from behind the tree. â€Å"Angel of the Lord,† I said under my breath to Josh. â€Å"I know,† he said, in a â€Å"you seen one, you seen 'em all† way. â€Å"He can't do anything,† the angel repeated. â€Å"Why not?† I asked. â€Å"Because he may not know any woman.† â€Å"I may not?† Joshua said, not sounding at all happy. â€Å"He may not in that he should not, or that he cannot?† I asked. The angel scratched his golden head, â€Å"I didn't think to ask.† â€Å"It's kind of important,† I said. â€Å"Well, he can't do anything about Mary Magdalene, I know that. They told me to come and tell him that. That and that it is time for him to go.† â€Å"Go where?† â€Å"I didn't think to ask.† I suppose I should have been frightened, but I seemed to have passed right through frightened to exasperated. I stepped up to the angel and poked him in the chest. â€Å"Are you the same angel that came to us before, to announce the coming of the Savior?† â€Å"It was the Lord's will that I bring that joyful news.† â€Å"I just wondered, in case all of you angels look alike or something. So, after you showed up ten years late, they sent you with another message?† â€Å"I am here to tell the Savior that it is time for him to go.† â€Å"But you don't know where?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"And this golden stuff around you, this light, what is this?† â€Å"The glory of the Lord.† â€Å"You're sure it's not stupidity leaking out of you?† â€Å"Biff, be nice, he is the messenger of the Lord.† â€Å"Well, hell, Josh, he's no help at all. If we're going to get angels from heaven they should at least know what they are doing. Blow down walls or something, destroy cities, oh, I don't know – get the whole message.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† the angel said. â€Å"Would you like me to destroy a city?† â€Å"Go find out where Josh is supposed to go. How 'bout that?† â€Å"I can do that.† â€Å"Then do that.† â€Å"I'll be right back.† â€Å"We'll wait.† â€Å"Godspeed,† Joshua said. In an instant the angel moved behind another tree trunk and the golden glow was gone from the olive grove with a warm breeze. â€Å"You were sort of hard on him,† Joshua said. â€Å"Josh, being nice isn't always going to get the job done.† â€Å"One can try.† â€Å"Was Moses nice to Pharaoh?† Before Joshua could answer me, the warm breeze blew into the olive grove again and the angel stepped out from behind a tree. â€Å"To find your destiny,† he said. â€Å"What?† I said. â€Å"What?† Joshua said. â€Å"You are supposed to go find your destiny.† â€Å"That's it?† Joshua said. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"What about the ‘knowing a woman' thing?† I asked. â€Å"I have to go now.† â€Å"Grab him, Josh. You hold him and I'll hit him.† But the angel was gone with the breeze. â€Å"My destiny?† Joshua looked at his open, empty palms. â€Å"We should have pounded the answer out of him,† I said. â€Å"I don't think that would have worked.† â€Å"Oh, back to the nice strategy. Did Moses – â€Å" â€Å"Moses should have said, ‘Let my people go, please.'† â€Å"That would have made the difference?† â€Å"It could have worked. You don't know.† â€Å"So what do you do about your destiny?† â€Å"I'm going to ask the Holy of Holies when we go to the Temple for the Passover.† And so it came to pass that in the spring all of the Jews from Galilee made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and Joshua began the search for his destiny. The road was lined with families making their way to the holy city. Camels, carts, and donkeys were loaded high with provisions for the trip, and all along the column of pilgrims you could hear the bleating of the lambs that would be sacrificed for the feast. The road was dry that year, and a red-brown cloud of dust wound its way over the road as far as one could see in either direction. Since we were each the eldest in our families, it fell on Joshua and me to keep track of all our younger brothers and sisters. It seemed that the easiest way to accomplish this was to tie them together, so we strung together, by height, my two brothers and Josh's three brothers and two sisters. I tied the rope loosely around their necks so it would only choke them if they got out of line. â€Å"I can untie this,† said James. â€Å"Me too,† said my brother Shem. â€Å"But you won't. This is the part of the Passover where you reenact Moses leading you out of the Promised Land, you have to stay with the little ones.† â€Å"You're not Moses,† said Shem. â€Å"No – no, I'm not Moses. Smart of you to notice.† I tied the end of the rope to a nearby wagon that was loaded high with jars of wine. â€Å"This wagon is Moses,† I said. â€Å"Follow it.† â€Å"That wagon isn't – â€Å" â€Å"It's symbolic, shut the hell up and follow Moses.† Thus freed of our responsibilities, Joshua and I went looking for Maggie and her family. We knew that Maggie and her clan had left after us, so we fought backward through the pilgrims, braving donkey bites and camel spit until we spotted her royal blue shawl on the hill behind us, perhaps a half-mile back. We had resolved to just sit by the side of the road to wait until she reached us, rather than battle the crowd, when suddenly the column of pilgrims started to leave the road altogether, moving to the sides in a great wave. When we saw the red crest of a centurion's helmet come over the top of the hill we understood. Our people were making way for the Roman army. (There would be nearly a million Jews in Jerusalem for Passover – a million Jews celebrating their liberation from oppression, a very dangerous mix from the Roman point of view. The Roman governor would come from Caesarea with his full legion of six thousand men, and each of the other barracks in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee would send a century or two of soldiers to the holy city.) We used the opportunity to dash back to Maggie, arriving there at the same time as the Roman army. The centurion that led the cavalry kicked at me as he passed, his hobnail boot missing my head by a hair's breadth. I suppose I should be glad he wasn't a standard-bearer or I might have been conked with a Roman eagle. â€Å"How long do I have to wait before you drive them from the land and restore the kingdom to our people, Joshua?† Maggie stood there with her hands on her hips, trying to look stern, but her blue eyes betrayed that she was about to burst into laughter. â€Å"Uh, shalom to you too, Maggie,† Joshua said. â€Å"How about you, Biff, have you learned to be an idiot yet, or are you behind in your studies?† Those laughing eyes, even as the Romans passed by only an arm's length away. God, I miss her. â€Å"I'm learning,† I said. Maggie put down the jar she'd been carrying and threw her arms out to embrace us. It had been months since we'd seen her other than passing in the square. She smelled of lemons and cinnamon that day. We walked with Maggie and her family for a couple of hours, talking and joking and avoiding the subject that we were all thinking about until Maggie finally said, â€Å"Are you two coming to my wedding?† Joshua and I looked at each other as if our tongues had suddenly been struck from our mouths. I saw that Josh was having no luck finding words, and Maggie seemed to be getting angry. â€Å"Well?† â€Å"Uh, Maggie, it's not that we're not overjoyed with your good fortune, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took the opportunity to backhand me across the mouth. The jar she carried on her head didn't even waver. Amazing grace that girl had. â€Å"Ouch.† â€Å"Good fortune? Are you mad? My husband's a toad. I'm sick at the thought of him. I was just hoping you two would come to help me through the ceremony.† â€Å"I think my lip is bleeding.† Joshua looked at me and his eyes went wide. â€Å"Uh-oh.† He cocked his head, as if listening to the wind. â€Å"What, uh-oh?† Then I heard the commotion coming from ahead. There was a crowd gathered at a small bridge – a lot of shouting and waving. Since the Romans had long since passed, I assumed someone had fallen in the river. â€Å"Uh-oh,† Josh said again, and he began running toward the bridge. â€Å"Sorry.† I shrugged at Maggie, then followed Josh. At the river's edge (no more than a creek, really) we saw a boy about our age, with wild hair and wilder eyes, standing waist-deep in the water. He was holding something under the water and shouting at the top of his lungs. â€Å"You must repent and atone, atone and repent! Your sins have made you unclean. I cleanse you of the evil that you carry like your wallet.† â€Å"That's my cousin, John,† Joshua said. Trailing out of the water on either side of John stood our brothers and sisters, still tied together, but the missing link in the string of siblings was my brother Shem, who had been replaced by a lot of thrashing and bubbling muddy water in front of John. Onlookers were cheering on the Baptist, who was having a little trouble keeping Shem under water. â€Å"I think he's drowning Shem.† â€Å"Baptizing,† Joshua said. â€Å"My mother will be happy that Shem's sins have been cleansed, but I have to think we're going to be in a lot of trouble if he drowns in the process.† â€Å"Good point,† Josh said. He stepped into the water. â€Å"John! Stop that!† John looked at him and seemed a little perplexed. â€Å"Cousin Joshua?† â€Å"Yes. John, let him up.† â€Å"He has sinned,† John said, as if that said it all. â€Å"I'll take care of his sins.† â€Å"You think you're the one, don't you? Well, you're not. My birth was announced by an angel as well. It was prophesied that I would lead. You're not the one.† â€Å"We should talk about this in another place. Let him up, John. He's cleansed.† John let my brother pop out of the water and I ran down and dragged him and all the other kids out of the river. â€Å"Wait, the others haven't been cleansed. They are filthy with sin.† Joshua stepped between his brother James, who would have been the next one dunked, and the Baptist. â€Å"You won't tell Mother about this, will you?† Halfway between terrified and furious, James was tearing at the knots, trying to untie the rope from around his neck. He clearly wanted revenge on his big brother, but at the same time he didn't want to give up his brother's protection from John. â€Å"If we let John baptize you long enough, you won't be able to tell your mother, will you, James?† Me, just trying to help out. â€Å"I won't tell,† James said. He looked back at John, who was still staring as if he'd dash out and grab someone to cleanse any second. â€Å"He's our cousin?† â€Å"Yes,† Joshua said. â€Å"The son of our mother's cousin Elizabeth.† â€Å"When did you meet him before?† â€Å"I haven't.† â€Å"Then how did you know him.† â€Å"I just did.† â€Å"He's a loony,† said James. â€Å"You're both loonies.† â€Å"Yes, a family trait. Maybe when you get older you can be a loony too. You won't tell Mother.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Good,† Joshua said. â€Å"You and Biff get the kids moving, will you?† I nodded, shooting a glance back to John. â€Å"James is right, Josh. He is a loony.† â€Å"I heard that, sinner!† John shouted. â€Å"Perhaps you need to be cleansed.† John and his parents shared supper with us that evening. I was surprised that John's parents were older than Joseph – older than my grandparents even. Joshua told me that John's birth had been a miracle, announced by the angel. Elizabeth, John's mother, talked about it all through supper, as if it had happened yesterday instead of thirteen years ago. When the old woman paused to take a breath, Joshua's mother started in about the divine announcement of her own son's birth. Occasionally my mother, feeling the need to exhibit some maternal pride that she didn't really feel, would chime in as well. â€Å"You know, Biff wasn't announced by an angel, but locusts ate our garden and Alphaeus had gas for a month around the time he would have been conceived. I think it might have been a sign. That certainly didn't happen with my other boys.† Ah, Mother. Did I mention that she was besought with a demon? After supper, Joshua and I built our own fire, away from the others, hoping that Maggie would seek us out, but it turned out that only John joined us. â€Å"You are not the anointed one,† John said to Joshua. â€Å"Gabriel came to my father. Your angel didn't even have a name.† â€Å"We shouldn't be talking about these things,† Joshua said. â€Å"The angel told my father that his son would prepare the way for the Lord. That's me.† â€Å"Fine, I want nothing more than for you to be the Messiah, John.† â€Å"Really?† John asked. â€Å"But your mother seems so, so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Josh can raise the dead,† I said. John shifted his insane gaze to me, and I scooted away from him in case he tried to hit me. â€Å"He cannot,† John said. â€Å"Yep, I've seen it twice.† â€Å"Don't, Biff,† Josh said. â€Å"You're lying. Bearing false witness is a sin,† John said. The Baptist started to look more panicked than angry. â€Å"I'm not very good at it,† Joshua said. John's eyes went wide, now with amazement instead of madness. â€Å"You have done this? You have raised the dead?† â€Å"And healed the sick,† I said. John grabbed me by the front of my tunic and pulled me close, staring into my eyes as if he was looking into my head. â€Å"You aren't lying, are you?† He looked at Joshua. â€Å"He's not lying, is he?† Joshua shook his head. â€Å"I don't think so.† John released me, let out a long sigh, then sat back in the dirt. The firelight caught tears sparkling in his eyes as he stared at nothing. â€Å"I am so relieved. I didn't know what I would do. I don't know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"Neither do I,† said Joshua. â€Å"Well, I hope you really can raise the dead,† John said, â€Å"because this will kill my mother.† We walked with John for the next three days, through Samaria, into Judea, and finally into the holy city. Fortunately, there weren't many rivers or streams along the way, so we were able to keep his baptisms to a minimum. His heart was in the right place, he really did want to cleanse our people of their sins, it was just that no one would believe that God would give that responsibility to a thirteen-year-old. To keep John happy, Josh and I let him baptize our little brothers and sisters at every body of water we passed, at least until Josh's little sister Miriam developed the sniffles and Joshua had to perform an emergency healing on her. â€Å"You really can heal,† John exclaimed. â€Å"Well, the sniffles are easy,† Joshua said. â€Å"A little mucus is nothing against the power of the Lord.† â€Å"Would – would you mind?† John said, lifting up his tunic and showing his bare privates, which were covered with sores and greenish scales. â€Å"Cover, please cover!† I yelled. â€Å"Drop the shirt and step away!† â€Å"That's disgusting,† Joshua said. â€Å"Am I unclean? I've been afraid to ask my father, and I can't go to a Pharisee, not with my father being a priest. I think it's from standing in the water all of the time. Can you heal me?† (I have to say here that I believe that this was the first time Joshua's little sister Miriam ever saw a man's privates. She was only six at the time, but the experience so frightened her that she never married. The last time anyone heard from her, she had cut her hair short, put on men's clothes, and moved to the Greek island of Lesbos. But that was later.) â€Å"Have at it, Josh,† I said. â€Å"Lay your hands upon the affliction and heal it.† Joshua shot me a dirty look, then looked back to his cousin John, with nothing but compassion in his eyes. â€Å"My mother has some salve you can put on it,† he said. â€Å"Let's see if that works first.† â€Å"I've tried salve,† John said. â€Å"I was afraid you had,† said Joshua. â€Å"Have you tried rubbing it with olive oil?† I asked. â€Å"It probably won't cure you, but it might take your mind off of it.† â€Å"Biff, please. John is afflicted.† â€Å"Sorry.† Joshua said, â€Å"Come here, John.† â€Å"Oh, jeez, Joshua,† I said. â€Å"You're not going to touch it, are you? He's unclean. Let him live with the lepers.† Joshua put his hands on John's head and the Baptist's eyes rolled back in his head. I thought he would fall, and he did waver, but remained standing. â€Å"Father, you have sent this one to prepare the way. Let him go forth with his body as clean as his spirit.† Joshua released his cousin and stepped back. John opened his eyes and smiled. â€Å"I am healed!† he yelled. â€Å"I am healed.† John began to raise his shirt and I caught his arm. â€Å"We'll take your word for it.† The Baptist fell to his knees, then prostrated himself before Joshua, shoving his face against Josh's feet. â€Å"You are truly the Messiah. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I shall declare your holiness throughout the land.† â€Å"Uh, maybe someday, but not now,† Joshua said. John looked up from where he had been grasping Josh's ankles. â€Å"Not now?† â€Å"We're trying to keep it a secret,† I said. Josh patted his cousin's head. â€Å"Yes, it would be best not to tell anyone about the healing, John.† â€Å"But why?† â€Å"We have to find out a couple of things before Joshua starts being the Messiah,† I said. â€Å"Like what?† John seemed as if he would start crying again. â€Å"Well, like where Joshua left his destiny and whether or not he's allowed to, uh, have an abomination with a woman.† â€Å"It's not an abomination if it's with a woman,† Josh added. â€Å"It's not?† â€Å"Nope. Sheep, goats, pretty much any animal – it's an abomination. But with a woman, it's something totally different.† â€Å"What about a woman and a goat, what's that?† asked John. â€Å"That's five shekels in Damascus,† I said. â€Å"Six if you want to help.† Joshua punched me in the shoulder. â€Å"Sorry, old joke.† I grinned. â€Å"Couldn't resist.† John closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, as if he might squeeze some understanding out of his mind if he applied enough pressure. â€Å"So you don't want anyone to know that you have the power to heal because you don't know if you can lie with a woman?† â€Å"Well, that and I have no idea how to go about being the Messiah,† Josh said. â€Å"Yeah, and that,† I said. â€Å"You should ask Hillel,† John said. â€Å"My father says he's the wisest of all of the priests.† â€Å"I'm going to ask the Holy of Holies,† Joshua said. (The Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant – the box containing the tablets handed down from God to Moses. No one I knew had ever seen it, as it was housed in the inner room at the Temple.) â€Å"But it's forbidden. Only a priest may enter the chamber of the Ark.† â€Å"Yes, that's going to be a problem,† I said. The city was like a huge cup that had been filled to its brim with pilgrims, then spilled into a seething pool of humanity around it. When we arrived men were already lined up as far as the Damascus gate, waiting with their lambs to get to the Temple. A greasy black smoke was on the wind, coming from the Temple, where as many as ten thousand priests would be slaughtering the lambs and burning the blood and fatty parts on the altar. Cooking fires were burning all around the city as women prepared the lambs. A haze hung in the air, the steam and funk of a million people and as many animals. Stale breath and sweat and the smell of piss rose in the heat of the day, mixing with the bleating of lambs, the bellowing of camels, the crying of children, the ululations of women, and the low buzz of too many voices, until the air was thick with sounds and smells and God and history. Here Abraham received the word of God that his people would be the Chosen, here were the Hebrews delivered out of Egypt, here Solomon built the first Temple, here walked the prophets and the kings of the Hebrews, and here resided the Ark of the Covenant. Jerusalem. Here did I, the Christ, and John the Baptist come to find out the will of God and, if we were lucky, spot some really delicious girls. (What, you thought it was all religion and philosophy?) Our families made camp outside the northern wall of the city, below the battlements of Antonia, the fortress Herod had built in tribute to his benefactor, Marc Antony. Two cohorts of Roman soldiers, some twelve hundred strong, watched the Temple courtyard from the fortress walls. The women fed and washed the children while Joshua and I carried lambs with our fathers to the Temple. There was something unsettling about carrying an animal to its death. It wasn't that I hadn't seen the sacrifices before, nor even eaten the Passover lamb, but this was the first time I'd actually participated. I could feel the animal's breathing on my neck as I carried it slung over my shoulders, and amid all the noise and the smells and the movement around the Temple, there was, for a moment, silence, just the breath and heartbeat of the lamb. I guess I fell behind the others, because my father turned and said something to me, but I couldn't hear the words. We went through the gates and into the outer courtyard of the Temple where merchants sold birds for the sacrifice and moneychangers traded shekels for a hundred different coins from around the world. As we passed through the enormous courtyard, where thousands of men stood with lambs on their shoulders waiting to get into the inner temple, to the altar, to the slaughter, I could see no man's face. I saw only the faces of the lambs, some calm and oblivious, others with their eyes rolled back, bleating in terror, still others seeming to be stunned. I swung the lamb from my own shoulders and cradled it in my arms like a child as I backed out toward the gate. I know my father and Joseph must have come after me, but I couldn't see their faces, just emptiness where their eyes should have been, just the eyes of the lambs they carried. I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't get out of the Temple fast enough. I didn't know where I was going, but I wasn't going inside to the altar. I turned to run , but a hand caught my shirt and pulled me back. I spun around and looked into Joshua's eyes. â€Å"It's God's will,† he said. He laid his hands on my head and I was able to breathe again. â€Å"It's all right, Biff. God's will.† He smiled. Joshua had put the lamb he'd been carrying on the ground, but it didn't run away. I suppose I should have known right then. I didn't eat any of the lamb for that Passover feast. In fact, I've never eaten lamb since that day.