henever I encounter the idea of excess in any human endeavor, I recall a quotation by Thoreau that I got via Ronald Johnson, who quoted (paraphrased?) it in an interview. I will, also, necessarily, have to offer my own paraphrase here: To wit: Look at nature and how lavish she is, even on the smallest of her creations. Humans might be able to replicate the intricacy of a simple violet, given the resources and patience, but just imagine what industry would have to be employed when Nature does it so effortlessly. She is never parsimonious. We can be nothing but.

Poet Dirk Stratton on Excess Read 10/23/98 at The University of Cincinnati :53 101K RealAudio Clip