The song also stresses (even more than the poem) the bitterness and envy of those who covet Corey’s wealth, but cannot imagine how he also lives a life of quiet desperation.

“but I work in his factory
and I curse the life I’m living
and I curse my poverty
and I wish that I could be
Oh, I wish that I could be–Richard Cory.”

and in that glorious harmony those two could so effortlessly produce…

“the rumors of his parties, and the orgies on his yacht,
he surely must be happy, with all the things he’s got”

…pretty powerful stuff.

From the first time I read it in HS and every time I have read it since I have been moved by it. The line “and he glittered when he walked” is a powerful line to me. I was surprised that S&G left it out of their version.

The poem has come to mind with many people I have known or known of in my life but none more than John Kennedy.

Hey, the father ran for President and he was born in Mexico, how do we know the son wasn’t?

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
‘Good-morning,’ and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich – yes, richer than a king -
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head

They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town,
With political connections to spread his wealth around.
Born into society, a banker’s only child,
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style.

But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory.

The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes:
Richard Cory at the opera, Richard Cory at a show.
And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!
Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he’s got.

But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory.

He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch,
And they were grateful for his patronage and thanked him very much,
So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:
“Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head.”

But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory.

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/simon+and+garfunkel/richard+cory_20124655.html ]

Does “I don’t have the power to do this” count? How about “I didn’t know it was this bad?”

Good Lord, Obama’s entire administration has been one lame excuse or rationalization after another.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-22/romney-as-auditing-chairman-saw-marriott-son-of-boss-tax-shelter-defy-irs.html