POEMS OF REFLECTION

POEMS OF REFLECTIONEXPERIMENTS IN VERS LIBRE

Notcurled into rose leavesOr twisted into fantastic patterns of beauty ...Out of my joy in the Earth,Out of my sorrow for men,Out of the love which I bore to one and anotherCome these rough nuggets.Take them—they are all I can give you!Take, and make of them whatsoever you will,You who have skill,And you also who have none.Hold them in sunlight and moonlightTill they shine back,Ponder also the dark Earth wherefrom they came!

Notcurled into rose leavesOr twisted into fantastic patterns of beauty ...Out of my joy in the Earth,Out of my sorrow for men,Out of the love which I bore to one and anotherCome these rough nuggets.Take them—they are all I can give you!Take, and make of them whatsoever you will,You who have skill,And you also who have none.Hold them in sunlight and moonlightTill they shine back,Ponder also the dark Earth wherefrom they came!

Notcurled into rose leavesOr twisted into fantastic patterns of beauty ...

Notcurled into rose leaves

Or twisted into fantastic patterns of beauty ...

Out of my joy in the Earth,Out of my sorrow for men,Out of the love which I bore to one and anotherCome these rough nuggets.

Out of my joy in the Earth,

Out of my sorrow for men,

Out of the love which I bore to one and another

Come these rough nuggets.

Take them—they are all I can give you!Take, and make of them whatsoever you will,You who have skill,And you also who have none.

Take them—they are all I can give you!

Take, and make of them whatsoever you will,

You who have skill,

And you also who have none.

Hold them in sunlight and moonlightTill they shine back,Ponder also the dark Earth wherefrom they came!

Hold them in sunlight and moonlight

Till they shine back,

Ponder also the dark Earth wherefrom they came!

He who lies dead was my father.Degradation has befallen his flesh.Why? O, why?The palace is fouled.The king insulted, crucified, and abandoned.The slaves have fled.And so, after certain days, youAnd I too shall lie.The prideShall pass.Our mouths shall never kissNor our strong arms embrace ...We too, we too shall die.

He who lies dead was my father.Degradation has befallen his flesh.Why? O, why?The palace is fouled.The king insulted, crucified, and abandoned.The slaves have fled.And so, after certain days, youAnd I too shall lie.The prideShall pass.Our mouths shall never kissNor our strong arms embrace ...We too, we too shall die.

He who lies dead was my father.Degradation has befallen his flesh.Why? O, why?

He who lies dead was my father.

Degradation has befallen his flesh.

Why? O, why?

The palace is fouled.The king insulted, crucified, and abandoned.The slaves have fled.

The palace is fouled.

The king insulted, crucified, and abandoned.

The slaves have fled.

And so, after certain days, youAnd I too shall lie.

And so, after certain days, you

And I too shall lie.

The prideShall pass.Our mouths shall never kissNor our strong arms embrace ...We too, we too shall die.

The pride

Shall pass.

Our mouths shall never kiss

Nor our strong arms embrace ...

We too, we too shall die.

Lust spoils the sunlightAnd narrows the day;Love widensTime to Eternity which alone can hold it!

Lust spoils the sunlightAnd narrows the day;Love widensTime to Eternity which alone can hold it!

Lust spoils the sunlight

And narrows the day;

Love widens

Time to Eternity which alone can hold it!


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