JOHN STEINBECK'S ETHOS

“We have failed sometimes, taken wrong paths, paused for renewal, filled our bellies and licked our wounds, but we have never slipped back – never.” – John Steinbeck, America and Americans

“And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES by Francis William Bourdillon

The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
With the dying sun.

The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one:
Yet the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.

"MIRACLE ON ICE" SPEECH by Coach Herb Brooks

The "Miracle on Ice" speech was given to the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team before their game against the seemingly invincible Soviet Union team at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, on February 22, 1980.

***

“Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that’s what you have here tonight, boys. That’s what you’ve earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.

“You were born to be hockey players—every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It’s over. I’m sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw ’em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it!”

From CHRISTMAS BELLS by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet
    The words repeat 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

***
And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
    “For hate is strong,
    And mocks the song 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

SINK THE BISMARCK lyrics by Johnny Horton

verse
In May of 1941 the war had just begun
The Germans had the biggest ship that had the biggest guns
The Bismarck was the fastest ship that ever sailed the sea
On her decks were guns as big as steers and shells as big as trees
Out of the cold and foggy night came the British ship the Hood
And every British seaman he knew and understood
They had to sink the Bismarck, the terror of the sea
Stop those guns as big as steers and those shells as big as trees

chorus
We′ll find the German battleship that's makin′ such a fuss
We gotta sink the Bismarck 'cause the world depends on us
Yeah, hit the decks a runnin', boys, and spin those guns around
When we find the Bismarck, we gotta cut her down

verse
The Hood found the Bismarck and on that fatal day
The Bismarck started firing 15 miles away
"We gotta sink the Bismarck" was the battle sound
But when the smoke had cleared away the mighty Hood went down
For six long days and weary nights they tried to find her trail
Churchill told the people put every ship asail
′Cause somewhere on that ocean I know she′s gotta be
We gotta sink the Bismarck to the bottom of the sea

chorus
We'll find the German battleship that′s makin' such a fuss
We gotta sink the Bismarck ′cause the world depends on us
Yeah, hit the decks a runnin', boys, and spin those guns around
When we find the Bismarck, we gotta cut her down

verse
The fog was gone the seventh day and they saw the morning sun
Ten hours away from homeland the Bismarck made its run
The Admiral of the British fleet said turn those bows around
We found that German battleship and we′re gonna cut her down
The British guns were aimed and the shells were coming fast
The first shell hit the Bismarck, they knew she couldn't last
That mighty German battleship is just a memory
"Sink the Bismarck" was the battle cry that shook the seven seas

chorus
We found the German battleship t'was makin′ such a fuss
We had to sink the Bismarck ′cause the world depends on us
We hit the deck a runnin' and we and spun those guns around
Yeah, we found the mighty Bismarck and then we cut her down
We found the German battleship t′was makin' such a fuss We had to sink the Bismarck ′cause the world depends on us We hit the deck a runnin' and we spun those guns around We found the mighty Bismarck and then we cut her down