Midwinter

Over the years, I've consciously and deliberately attempted to immunise my brain against illusions. However, since 1995 or thereabouts, the amount of research on the way the human brain works has expanded vastly. We now know so much about the way the brain works that illusion and reality are more and more coterminous. It is all rather vexing at times.

For example, check out the illusions linked here. I suppose people like Speedcuber will want to try at least one of the phenomena out, if he hasn't already.

Optics and midwinter — the two are so very similar in so many ways. Can you think of some?

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And of course, what would life be without poetry? Here is one of my favourite carols. Christina Rossetti's In The Bleak Midwinter is one of those rare pieces which is cold, warm, bleak, elevating, and evocative of both cheer and tears all at once. Enjoy!

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Ah... poets should write more songs.