Thou by the Indian Ganges' side
Shouldst rubies find. I by the tide
Of Humber would complain. I would
Love you ten years before the Flood . . .
In my high school English class, I learned from these lines of Andrew Marvell's that the Ganges is rich, exotic, and wonderful, while the Humber is poor, plain, and boring. Setting aside the accuracy of these perceptions for the moment, let me point out that the Newfoundland Humber (named after Marvell's Humber in England) has recently become a great deal more interesting:
First it was hundreds of Atlantic saury found dead on the shores of the Humber Arm, then it was at least two lifeless blue sharks washing ashore in the outer Bay of Islands. Now it seems squid are the latest casualty of a mass kill of marine life in the area this month.
It's awfully difficult to tell from the photo (and my limited experience with Atlantic squid) but they're either Northern Shortfins or Longfins.
For those who didn't have to read To His Coy Mistress in their high school carpe diem unit, here's the whole thing.
And here is a delightful retort by A.D. Hope, His Coy Mistress To Mr. Marvell.
The verse was splendid, all admit,
And sir, you have a pretty wit.
All that indeed your poem lacked
Was logic, modesty, and tact . . .
