Progymnasmata

NOTE: this entry was originally written as a forum thread. The thread died out before it even captured a spark. Maybe it was better meant for a blog.

Here it is:

Walden has meant more to me than any other book. Some of my favorite passages are Thoreau's descriptions of his interactions with the lakes and ponds around his cabin. Passages like this one, for example:

"In warm evenings I frequently sat in the boat playing the flute, and saw the perch, ...

The Tragedy of Hesitation

It was a warm spring day; I was a young undergraduate student about to attend a lecture by one of my favorite professors. The class was small and cozy and was comprised of maybe 20 students total. I loved this class. I could listen to this professor perform a filibusterer and keep my interest.

I had been out late the night before, so I was tired. Before arriving to class, I drank a 20oz Coke. Then I bought another one for class.
...

Just a note:

A friend and former student of mine told me this story today. . . .

In high school, he and three other friends were concurrently reading this Robert Jordan fantasy novel over their study hall hours. They had study hall at different hours of the day, so they would leave the book for the next person of their group to read. And because everyone read at a different pace, there were four different book marks in the book as it went from reader to reader throughout ...

Each morning
On my drive to work I pass
him.
He's holding a plastic grocery bag.
It's cold.
He's bundled in a hunter's cap, a thick wool jacket, and thick leather gloves.

Each morning
On my drive to work I pass
him.
He stops, looks at my eyes, and smiles
a big, genuine old-man smile.
And he waves right at me.

Each morning
On my drive to work I pass
him.
He waves like that to ...