1 Black as the ooze at the bottom of a pond. Stinks about as bad too.

2 The darkness shows off the light so well.

3 The optimist conservative said with joy and glee \"this is the best of all possible worlds,it doesn\'t get any better than this\" \"I know\" replied the pessimist liberal with a frown \"this sucks and it ain\'t gonna get any better only worse\"

4 Basic nature is neutral; geared to survival. It's the how of that survival that veers into morality. IMHO believing that people are basically "good" is wrong, as it leads to an attempt to make excuses for bad behavior. Goodness is a learned trait.

5 Ah. You've been listening to Dennis Prager again

6 Dark as night, and the wind is howling. The candle is burning down and we are low on wood for the fire. The barbarians are outside, all around our little cave. And some of us inside the cave have barbarian tendencies as well. You preserve what you can and hand it on. Always a struggle. Always. And the good are not necessarily destined to win. But there is such a thing as good.

7 Darkness dominates the picture. However, there appears to be various shades to this; not everyone one is a monster. I do wonder how much of this Nature can be overcome(is the monster lurking?). And although choices are a good indicator of character I also ponder, at times, the sincerity behind the decisions. Okay, I didn't swipe the candy from your hands but was it the result of intelligent reasoning? (I don't want to be sued); fear? (I don't want to be pounded by you or your husband); avoidance of guilt? (religious or otherwise); or some other self serving purpose? (hey, I'll just wait till you put the candy down and your back is turned). To know the true character of another, even someone dear, would seem to be too challenging and perhaps unnecessary if the darkness is kept at bay and glimpses of light can be perceived.

8 Dalsan, are you talking about the unplumbed, salt, estranging sea by any chance?

9 No, that was not my intention, at least not wittingly, but there are some parallels with the sentiments expressed by Arnold. This unplumbed salt, estranging sea was viewed with despair, especially as its creation was bidden by God. The desire expressed is to have these islands become one and end the loneliness. I find it interesting that the wish was not for a particular island but for all islands. A community rather than a companion appeared to be favored. I suppose I am caught up in the second stanza of this work where it is still possible to appreciate those around us, albeit at a distance. To this amatuer, I feel the distance may be minimal (within our own home) or great (only being visible through some medium such as a computer screen). The words "And lovely notes, from shore to shore," may tease and delight the reader as they did the writer as they appear to cut, however little, into the darkness. Sorry to be wordy and not Wordsworthian, as Arnold described himself.

1 I take public transit.