Time for some culture, everyone

[stayb100ponyboy]

[The camera flicks on, showing a young troll sitting down, a large book open on his crossed legs. There's a stack of books behind him, and the gentle lighting and general hush all around him indicate that he's in the library.]

I found this book of human poetry, and found a beautiful poem. I had no idea you humans had it in you. This is true highblood lyricism; if I didn't know better, I would think this Samuel Taylor Coleridge fellow was a blueblood.

[He clears his throat, then begins reading from the book.]

To a Young Ass, Its Mother Being Tethered Near It, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Poor little Foal of an oppresséd race!
I love the languid patience of thy face:
And oft with gentle hand I give thee bread,
And clap thy ragged coat, and pat thy head.
But what thy dulled spirits hath dismay'd,
That never thou dost sport along the glade?
And (most unlike the nature of things young)
That earthward still thy moveless head is hung?
Do thy prophetic fears anticipate,
Meek Child of Misery! thy future fate?
The starving meal, and all the thousand aches
'Which patient Merit of the Unworthy takes'?
Or is thy sad heart thrill'd with filial pain
To see thy wretched mother's shorten'd chain?
And truly, very piteous is her lot--
Chain'd to a log within a narrow spot,
Where the close-eaten grass is scarcely seen,
While sweet around her waves the tempting green!

Poor Ass! thy master should have learnt to show
Pity--best taught by fellowship of Woe!
For much I fear me that He lives like thee,
Half famish'd in a land of Luxury!
How askingly its footsteps hither bend?
It seems to say, 'And have I then one friend?'
Innocent foal! thou poor despis'd forlorn!
I hail thee Brother--spite of the fool's scorn!
And fain would take thee with me, in the Dell
Of Peace and mild Equality to dwell,
Where Toil shall call the charmer Health his bride,
And Laughter tickle Plenty's ribless side!
How thou wouldst toss thy heels in gamesome play,
And frisk about, as lamb or kitten gay!
Yea! and more musically sweet to me
Thy dissonant harsh bray of joy would be,
Than warbled melodies that soothe to rest
The aching of pale Fashion's vacant breast!

[He carefully closes the book, his face as close to beaming as he's willing to get in public.]

Magnificent.

Comments

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> Don't you call him that

D --> And you might not have noticed
D --> But the Empire doesn't e%ist anymore
D --> Even if it did, we're not in it

[devwocean]

It's his name.

It exists!
So long as trolls still survvivve wwe can rise up again to our proper position.
And as for bein here and not there, wwe wwill return there one day.

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> No we won't
D --> The planet's gone, didn't you know
D --> There's nowhere to return to

[devwocean]

I don't believve that, and evven if I did, a single planet does not a species make.
Wwe are here. There is still hope!
Wwe don't havve to lay dowwn and die, wwe can rebuild.

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> With what
D --> The Matriorb was blown up

[devwocean]

So you're gonna just lay dowwn and die.
No mother grub, so no point in livvin then?
Maybe wwe can get another one somehoww, wwho knowws?
If you wwant to die then removve yourself immediately. You're wwastin precious resources!

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> I never said that
D --> I have plenty to live for here
D --> And I have no intention of dying anytime soon

D --> I'm just saying that Vatheon doesn't need to be overrun with trolls
D --> There's plenty here already, and more coming in all the time

[devwocean]

I fundamentally disagree.
Wwhy shouldn't wwe be the dominant race here, or anywwhere?

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> Have you actually gotten to know any of the humans
D --> They're not half bad, most of them

[devwocean]

None of the humans or other aliens I'vve talked to havve been half bad or all bad.
In fact, they don't seem bad at all, in their owwn wway.
But they're not trolls, that's all, and I wwon't bend my knee to them.
Are you so downtrodden and broken that you don't acknowwledge our owwn basic superiority at all?

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> Of course I'm not going to kneel to them
D --> But they don't ask anyone to kneel
D --> That's the point
D --> There'd be no honor or glory in overthrowing them

D --> And I'm not broken
D --> I'm not

[devwocean]

I think you are.
I think all of the trolls here are.
Nearly all.

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> If you think all the trolls here are broken
D --> E%cepting yourself
D --> That leaves you with one common denominator, doesn't it
D --> Maybe you're the one who's broken

[devwocean]

NEARLY all.
I'm not broken.

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> So it's everyone else's problem and not yours

[devwocean]

You'vve all been corrupted.
I'm the newwest here, so that influence hasn't caught me.
And I wwill not let it happen.

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> You're talking about the Signless, aren't you
D --> I've never even spoken to him
D --> So I think you're giving him far too much credit
D --> If that's what you think is the source of the corruption

[devwocean]

You're spouting his fantastical gospel like it's truth so wwhat am I supposed to think?
You don't need to talk to him, directly.
You'vve got his fuckin spawwn to talk to. You talk to Vvantas, right?

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> Hardly
D --> I'm not a believer and I never will be
D --> I have other things to believe in

[Just going to dodge the question about Karkat, yep...]

[devwocean]

Saying it doesn't make it true.

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> I don't have to prove anything to you

[devwocean]

That's the most sensible thing you'vve said all day.

[stayb100ponyboy]

D --> You're just as insufferable as your descendant

[Click! Fiddlestick you, Dualscar. Fiddlestick you so hard.]