A toast for the millennium - a gift of words

I've been resisting the millennium hoopla, but as it approaches, I feel a tug to give it a bit of a nod. Whether you toast the new year with champagne, hot cocoa, tea or sparkling cider, you need the right words for the ritual. I dug out an old quotes book and found these words. The toasts are from 10,000 Jokes, Toasts and Stories, edited by Lewis and Faye Copeland.

From Francis Bacon:

Old wood to burn,
old wine to drink,
old friends to trust,
and old authors to read

Another one, unattributed:

Here's a toast to the future,
A toast to the past,
And a toast to our friends, far and near.
May the future be pleasant;
The past a bright dream;
May our friends remain faithful and dear.

I have now begun to think about my toast to the millennium and will share some of the possibilities in the upcoming weeks. I will also ask friends and family to begin thinking. I will share any toasts from them.

I invite you to e-mail me your toast to the millennium and I will publish it in my topic space. Please include "Millennium toast" in the subject line. I will dedicate December to share as many toasts as space permits. If it is an original toast, you will receive attribution, unless you specify otherwise. Please indicate if the toast is from another source so I can give it proper attribution.

If you need a little toasting help, visit Tom's World at http://zinnia.umfacad.maine.edu/~donaghu...

Several sites exist to give you all the latest millennium news. Greenwich 2000: Millennium at http://millennium.greenwich2000.com touts the official start-point of the millennium in Greenwich, England.

With your help, Suite101.com readers can choose from many toasts for the first second into the new millennium. These are gifts of words. This isn't a contest; it is a word sharing. Let's give any Suite101.com visitors words for the millennium. I look forward to reading your words for the First Night ritual.

If you need more inspiration, read on.

John Davidson. 1857-1909

22. Imagination

(From "New Year's Eve")

THERE is a dish to hold the sea,
A brazier to contain the sun,
A compass for the galaxy,
A voice to wake the dead and done!

That minister of ministers,
Imagination, gathers up
The undiscovered Universe,
Like jewels in a jasper cup.

Its flame can mingle north and south;
Its accent with the thunder strive;
The ruddy sentence of its mouth
Can make the ancient dead alive.

The mart of power, the fount of will
The form and mould of every star,

The copyright of the article A toast for the millennium - a gift of words in Word Play is owned by Sandra Linville. Permission to republish A toast for the millennium - a gift of words in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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