The Art of Wine and Leisure: My bourgeoisie please
LEISURE is the exultation of the possible. Martin Buber
WINE is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing. Ernest Hemingway
The union of wine and pleasure has been the domain of poets for centuries. It’s impossible to imagine the pursuit of one without the other. There’s an old Latin proverb that says in effect it is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend; one’s present or future thirst; the excellence of the wine; or any other reason. That’s just one of the many reasons how we know this is a union born in heaven.
Today’s economic woes aside, we are a people who understand the importance of leisure. We get that it is the end game, that thing that makes the end of the week or year worth dogging out. It helps to define our definition of excellence for both ourselves and others. It is powerful motivation.
One of the hallmarks of the popular leisure atmosphere is the widespread pursuit of sensual moments. Those moments serve to define prosperity as well as its surrounding activity. And the leisure, comfortable life style and the pursuits inherent to them have brought about the great changes of where and when our beloved vino fits in.
It’s almost impossible to imagine how the landscape all around a winery could not become an absolute delight to behold: vineyards, mountains, the sea and the sun. It is a perfect spot to live and play and nurture our wines and each other.
The poem Leisure was composed by an American poet named William Davies. He was a wandering poet and singer, a bit of a gypsy. Unfortunately, for him, he led a life of loneliness and his poetry is marked with truth and simplicity in concept as well as language. As the title of the poem reveals, it is about the availability of time for enjoying various delights of life. These may range from the most ordinary every day pleasure to the most wonderful of moments. The dude is lamenting over the rush and hurried manner in which we spend our lives.
What’s going on in this poem is simple. He believes that life must be enjoyed in a laid back, leisurely manner. He gets that we should abide our spare time enjoying and appreciating the beauty of nature. We should make time to stand in the vineyards and gaze at beautiful works of nature.
There’s a story waiting to be told for those among us willing to finish the pursuit of leisure all the way to its sweet end. The rolling hills of Napa wine country, the majestic villas of Tuscany or simply the eyes of a lover.
Leisure by William Henry Davies
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
12 Oct 2009, 11:30 pm
Yes, very nice!
07 Dec 2009, 7:15 pm
Interesting post. I have made a twitter post about this. Others no doubt will like it like I did.
08 Dec 2009, 2:15 am
Interesting post. I have made a twitter post about this. Others no doubt will like it like I did.