Do you solemnly swear?

Loyalty is less a virtue than a stand-in for love. Less innocently, it elevates patriotism, punishes the un-conforming and beats the drum for our ceremonies of war.

Mr. Prufrock recites his concerns

Earth is one of more than 100 billion planets in the Milky Way, which itself is one of more than 100 billion galaxies in the universe. Shall I part my hair? Roll my trousers? Wear white? Eat a peach? Good grief, man! Look up.

Divine fiat

The greatest power of them all, by a margin so vast it cannot be measured? Innocence. Yes, it’s despoiled everywhere. But still, by virtue of divine fiat, it is everywhere.

The fugitive kind

A disciple requests leave to bury his father. Jesus’ response: “Let the dead bury their dead.” Free men do not compromise, cannot be partialized, carry no obligations. “In a world of fugitives, the person taking the opposite direction will appear to be running away.”

Fleeing the real

It sounds like an innocent question but it’s ego who asks: “What’s next?”