This is "Dog's Death," by John Updike.

You can leave it in a comment if you like!

to save a search Suicide in the Trenches I knew a simple soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you'll never know The hell where youth and laughter go. S. Sassoon ("crump" - incoming artillery)

And to save another sesarch I Still Would Have Chosen You “If before you were born, I could have gone to heaven and saw all the beautiful souls, I still would have chosen you… If God had told me, “This soul would one day need extra care and needs,” I still would have chosen you… If He had told me, “This soul may make your heart bleed,” I still would have chosen you… If He had told me, “This soul would make you question the depth of your faith,” I still would have chosen you… If He had told me “This soul would make tears flow from your eyes that could fill a river,” I still would have chosen you… If He had told me “This soul may one day make you witness overbearing suffering,” I still would have chosen you… If He had told me, “All that you know to be normal would drastically change,” I still would have chosen you… Of course, even though I would have chosen you, I know it was God who chose me for you.” Written by, Terri Banish (there seem to be many versions) you specified the saddest,,. not the cleverest or the most nuanced (inserted) I'm, not even sure it qaulifies as a poem, (end insert) So this Chosen piece bludgeons the reader wiith repetition, god references etc. but it has helped parents of children with child cancer , Downs, ASD name it What else would you want?

Well, saying that "we" (as a society) have gone too far the other way doesn't mean that every single person in the group is trying to shout everyone else down. I'm guessing that Taylor Mali wouldn't have claimed that literally no one ever spoke with confidence in 2002, either. No group is a monolith. ☺️

According to the MLA, treat the numbers as though they were spelled out. You would ignore 'The' as the first word and alphabetize it with 'Five.' If you're following a different style guide, check to see if the guidelines are different. For more details: style.mla.org/alphabetizing-numeric-titles/

I'm sure there are, but I don't think I've re-read it since it first came out. Weaker characterization is what comes to mind, but I've got minimal confidence that my brain isn't pulling a ChatGPT and making up something that just sounds good! 😂

Why do you wish someone had more consistently forced you to do the work?

It wouldn't have the SAME effect, but it would have a similar effect, because you're listening, and that forces you to go at the pace set by the reader. The program can't hesitate or ask questions, which is why a real person would be better. But this is a great option as well!

Alas, they went and changed the requirements - I don't have remotely enough watch time to qualify yet. 🤷🏼

@@DanaColeDares Watch time?! Bloody KZbin 😒

I'm working on that subversion! Mostly I want students to do more than just accepting what the text says without question. 😬 We'll see how it goes...

In this case, both 'height' and 'feet' are abstract nouns. Thanks for a great example!

@@DanaColeDares you are such a great teacher 🤗

Nah, I'm just swamped with school this year and have only been able to check comments occasionally, alas. You're good! :)

Do you think that a decade ago, a generation ago, or a century ago, that wasn't true? That people WANTED to work for jobs that provided minimal compensation, with a main purpose not of providing a valuable product or service, but of increasing company profit?

@@DanaColeDares I wasn't aware that $130,000 in 2017 was considered minimal compensation.

@@ShowMeWhatINeedToKnow I didn't say minimum wage, but minimal compensation. Given how much non-work you say your colleagues were doing, do you really think they'd have stuck around at all if they pay was less? If the employer couldn't keep the positions filled at a lower rate of compensation, then what they're currently offering is minimal. And, as you point out, pay isn't the only factor. I make a smidgen over half of that - before taxes - and I bust my butt at what I do because (a) I believe deeply in the value of that work, and (b) it's enough that I can pay my bills.

I hope you find a solution that works for you. <3