Life is too short to silver over this tarnish. The gods, employed to haunt and punish husbands, have no hand for trigger-fine distinctions, their myopia makes all error mortal.

-Lowell, RobertTraill Spence,Jr
  'NewYear's Eve'.

   It was the same world then as nowöthe same, Except for little differences of speed And power, and means to treat myopia To show an axe-blade infinitely sharp Splitting things infinitely small.

-Pratt, EdwinJohn
  Towards theLast Spike.The poet is speaking of the building of the Canadian National Railway, from coast to coast. English Labour politician, Deputy Prime Minister since1997.