Jun 23, 2025
Poetry is thoughts that breathe and words that burn.
Thomas Gray
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Poetry is thoughts that breathe and words that burn.
Thomas Gray
William Blake for the poem "Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes" by Thomas Gray, 1797-8
’Twas on a lofty vase’s side,
Where China’s gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima, reclined,
Gazed on the lake below.
Her conscious tail her joy declared;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purred applause.
Still had she gazed; but ’midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,
The genii of the stream;
Their scaly armour’s Tyrian hue
Through richest purple to the view
Betrayed a golden gleam.
The hapless nymph with wonder saw;
A whisker first and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish,
She stretched in vain to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat’s averse to fish?
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch’d, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between.
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled)
The slippery verge her feet beguiled,
She tumbled headlong in.
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mewed to every watery god,
Some speedy aid to send.
No dolphin came, no Nereid stirred;
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard;
A Favourite has no friend!
From hence, ye beauties, undeceived,
Know, one false step is ne’er retrieved,
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
Nor all that glisters, gold.
Thomas Gray
Mask
John Martin (1789-1854) "The Bard" (c. 1817) Oil on canvas Romanticism Located in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
TRANSACTION || Bleep Bleep
Made “Transaction” (2025) fanart based on the “DOWN BOY!!” “Arf!” meme lol
Here we have the characters Liv (played by Jordan Gray) and Tom (played by Thomas Gray, no actual relation to Jordan Gray ofc lol) in the style of that one Archie comic panel, in which Liv (left) and Tom (right) are in place of Veronica and Archie
I really love Liv and Tom’s dynamic in the show, and this meme really spoke to me lowkey and it reminded me of their dynamic frfr, so thought I’d give it a go and do a redraw of the meme lol :P
Enjoy!
(Seriously, please watch this show, it’s very good and absolutely hilarious and fun and super underrated, and if you’re looking for more queer & trans comedy created by queer & trans people, then I deffo recommend “Transaction” frfr!!!)
w/photo references:
Currently reading The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, and I just noticed that the review quote on the back is by none other than Thomas Gray.
I am kissing whoever issued this edition directly on the mouth.
Poetry is thoughts that breathe and words that burn.
Thomas Gray
