The west has a great deal to answer for in the Middle East from Britain's belated empire-building after the First World War to the US and British policy that condemns modern Iraq to the material and social squalor of a half-century ago.
Nothing is so beautiful as spring - when weeds in wheels shoot long and lovely and lush Thrush's eggs look little low heavens and thrush through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring the ear it strikes like lightning to hear him sing.
