isn't this beautiful? I had to analyse it for my midterm.

Mary Oliver
In Blackwater Woods


Look, the trees
are turning
their own bodies
into pillars

of light,
are giving off the rich
fragrance of cinnamon
and fulfillment,

the long tapers
of cattails
are bursting and floating away over
the blue shoulders

of the ponds,
and every pond,
no matter what its
name is, is

nameless now.
Every year
everything
I have ever learned

in my lifetime
leads back to this: the fires
and the black river of loss
whose other side

is salvation,
whose meaning
none of us will ever know.
To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.

AtS

So. Watched last week's episode of Angel.

Freaked out about the Spike/Fred in the first five minutes, then later got all happy for the friendshippyness of it. He needs a friend. And yay Fred for telling Angel 'Because it's the right thing to do.' And tweaked by the fact that Spike's presence in Fred's bathroom seemed so... unsexual. After his deliberate flirting so much before, it was kind of a startling change. Better, I think. And interesting.

sisabet --(I think it was you?)-- you were so right. The theme is "what happens when you can't be redeemed."

I was interested by the fact that Parvane said it was Spike's soul that damned him, the soul he wanted was the cause of him going to hell. It goes back to this idea I've always nurtured (though it doesn't explain Darla's visit last year) that Vampires don't go to hell when they die, they just disappear. Only souls (including demons with souls) can go to hell. Vampires just... ceased to exist. But now that Angel and Spike have souls, well, their souls will go into hell carrying the weight of their sins as a soulles being.

I don't agree with that theory that "some people can't be saved," or that Angel or Spike are one of those people. Even though that does seem to be the theme, as I said above. I hate that theme though. I also hate the idea that Spike would be one of those people and Angel wouldn't. I can't help it-- I still think Spike's a better person than Angel-- more worthy of being "saved" as they called it. It's not because of actor looks or show loyalty or even ship... anything like that... I just can't help but think that the person who wants to be redeemed is better than the one who doesn't. Choice. Free will.



I liked the actor they picked for Parvane. Good make-up on him.

I don't trust the kitty cat.

I can't help but love it every time someone says "your ex " in a crass tone to Angel. Drive it home, baby. Drive it home.

I'd like to see more grieving from Spike about missing Buffy, but I was satisfied with the Angel & Fred's observations of him.

About half-way into the episode when I figured out what was going on, the formula was easy to follow. And I saw that magic choice coming as soon as Fred yelled "Get in the circle!"

However, I thought it seemed strange (looks liked it seemed strange to Fred too) the way that Wesley and Gunn summarily dismissed Spike's worthiness to be redeemed. Since when is Wesley so sanctimonous? I wonder if Fred and Gunn realize that the shanshu prphecy doesn't mention Angel by name-- did they ever hear the prophecy out loud, or did they just get told the jist of it from the others?

And one more thing--

Why is Spike the only unhappy person here? Shouldn't they all be moaning about Cordy and stuff? WHERE'S THE FREAKIN' ANGST, MAN?!!?! It should be falling in loads, yet isn't.

-

Unfortunately, I only recorded the second half of this week's episode. Haven't watched it yet. Anyone have any links to episode summaries? Preferrably one that's rather nuetral on whether the episode was good or not-- I hate having to rely on other people's judgements of quality when they often differ from my own.