<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[The Dish]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://dish.andrewsullivan.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Andrew Sullivan]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://dish.andrewsullivan.com/author/sullydish/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[A Poem For&nbsp;Sunday]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><img alt="Hitchens" class="asset  asset-image at-xid-6a00d83451c45669e201543864414d970c" src="http://andrewsullivan.readymadeweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/6a00d83451c45669e201543864414d970c-550wi.jpg" style="width: 515px;" title="Hitchens" /></p> <p><a href="http://andrewsullivan.readymadeweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/6a00d83451c45669e201543864414d970c-800wi.jpg" onclick="window.open( this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=640,height=480,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39; ); return false" style="display: inline;"></a>The end of &quot;Mandalay&quot; by Rudyard Kipling:</p> <blockquote> <p>Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,<br />Where there aren&#39;t no Ten Commandments an&#39; a man can raise a thirst;<br />For the temple-bells are callin&#39;, an&#39; it&#39;s there that I would be --<br />By the old Moulmein Pagoda, looking lazy at the sea;<br />&#0160;&#0160;&#0160; On the road to Mandalay,<br />&#0160;&#0160;&#0160; Where the old Flotilla lay,<br />&#0160;&#0160;&#0160; With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!<br />&#0160;&#0160;&#0160; On the road to Mandalay,<br />&#0160;&#0160;&#0160; Where the flyin&#39;-fishes play,<br />&#0160;&#0160;&#0160; An&#39; the dawn comes up like thunder outer China &#39;crost the Bay!</p> </blockquote> <p>The entire poem is <a href="http://www.daypoems.net/poems/1800.html" target="_self">here</a>. Hitch <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/article/42" target="_self">reflected</a>&#0160;on the pleasure he got from poetry, in 2005:</p>]]></html><thumbnail_url><![CDATA[https://sullydish.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/6a00d83451c45669e201543864414d970c-550wi.jpg?fit=440%2C330]]></thumbnail_url><thumbnail_width><![CDATA[440]]></thumbnail_width><thumbnail_height><![CDATA[248]]></thumbnail_height></oembed>