I am a little surprised at the US action against Iranian nuclear assets this morning. I had thought that the President would be most reluctant to get involved in foreign adventures, something he has often alluded to. But there you are, The ball is now in the Iranians court and we will see what they choose to do. If the game was baseball, I would have said they will opt for a bunt. Performative and making a statement without bringing hell upon themselves. But who knows?

At such times it is therapeutic to retreat into poetry (prayer as well, of course!) so I found this lovely piece by the Tang poet Li Bai (701- 762). He is one of the three of four greats of that extraordinary period in Chinese literature, a period when you needed to be able to write and recite poetry to get a civil service post. Li Bai was famously one for the bottle. If you don't believe me, have a read of his masterful, 'Drinking Alone by Moonlight' which is collected in many anthologies.

Parting at a Wine Shop in Nanjing

A wind, bringing willow-cotton, sweetens the shop,

And a girl from Wu, pouring wine, urges me to share it

With my comrades of the city who are her to see me off;

And as each one drains his cup, I say to them in parting,

      Oh, go and ask this river running to the East

      If it can travel faster then a friend's love!