Hugh welcome

Arthur going Clough

by Roberto Lavidez

welcome

wicked

world

the hardening

heart

the calculating

brain

narrowing

its doors

to thought

the lying

lips

the calm

dissembling

eyes

the greedy

flesh

the world

the devil

welcome

welcome

welcome

the conflict

of the

stubborn

soil

to toil

the livelong

day

and at the

end

instead of

rest

re-earve into

my brow

the dire

memorial

mark of

what still is

a mind

for thoughts

to pass into

a heart

for loves

to travel

through

fields

once I

walked in

faces once

I knew

familiar things

my heart had

grown unto

all is

not told

that might

be told

and hill

and height

and wood

and wild

while much

revealing

much

withhold

yes

we have

fallen

my Eve

o yes!

one two

and three

and four

the appetite

the enjoyment

the aftervoid

the thinking

of it

ashes to ashes

dust to dust

as of the

unjust

also of

the just

Christ is

not risen

people talk 

their

sentimentality

meantime

as by some

sad fatality

mortality is

still mortality

now the birds

have ceased

their singing

and the sun

has sunk

below

and the

bed time

bell is

ringing

let us go

let us go!

go foolish

thoughts

and join

the throng

of myriads

gone before

to flutter

and flap

and flit

along the

airy limbo

shore

to things

before

and things

behind

could turn

my thoughts

and turn

my mind on

this and that

day after day

could dare

to throw

myself away

how strange

how far

behind

was I

and how

it came

I asked

and why

yet still

I look

and still

I sit

adjusting

shaping

altering it

my former self

I never

should recall

indeed

I think

it must be

all in all

all is not spoke

that might

be spoke

the mightiest

poets ere

that broke

earth’s silence

upon the

passage

great was

my delight

a lady

taught me

how to read

and write

yet still

I look and

still I sit

adjusting

shaping

altering it

and years

may come

and years

may bring

the truth

that is

not bliss

there are

two kindreds

upon earth

I know

the oppressors

and the

oppressed

but as for me

if I must choose

to inflict wrong

or accept

may my

last end

and life too

be with these

here am I

friendless

and without

a brother

with faculties

developed

to no end

heart emptied

and scarce

hoping

to amend

you think

I’m anxious

to allure you

my object is

much more

to cure you

with the high

amatory – poetic

my temper’s

no way

sympathetic

dong dong

there is

no god

dong!

ring ding

ring ding

tara tara

away

and hush

that preaching

fagh!

grammarians

old and modern

fine philologists

and poets gone

and going

ideologists

from old

solemnities

new trivialities

philosophies

economies

moralities

I come

I come!

and when

unfolded

is the

future’s coil

and the long

travail

of the days

is done

when time

shall rest him

from his

earthly toil

and present

past and

future

all be one

from the

ancient

the good

of the ends

of the earth

from the holy

and wise

we were hither

sent forth

and shall we

speak of power

and gladness

where all things

high and great

abound?

of old

I grasped

and clasped

my dream

and feared

‘twould

ne’er remain

I take it now

and let it pass

secure ‘twill

come again -

what was

that word

which once

sufficed alone

for all

which now

I seek in vain

and never

can recall...

ring ding

ring ding

tara tara

away

©robertolavidez2014