The royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: “Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!”
The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.
He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon [...]
Archive for December, 2007
The Fool’s Prayer
Posted in Edward Roland Sill, Poetry on December 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
from The Birth of Christ
Posted in Christmas poetry, Poetry, Terence Tiller on December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
The Bethlehem road was real. Her heavy body
forced on the slow too-swift way between
successive darknesses. But she knew nothing.
Day was a dream of infinite toil: night was
- limbs loosed from outrage, the thick excitement
mounting in her for the imminent birth,
and the vague nightmare of the journey: all
faded into the insistent life
already more intense than hers. [...]
Kirkwall 1942
Posted in Anne Ridler, Poetry on December 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Far again, far,
And the Pentland howling psalms of separation
Lifts and falls, lifts and falls between.
But present pain
Folds like a firth round islets that contain
A sheepfold and a single habitation -
Moments in our summer of success -
Or the greater islands, colonized and built with peace.
Cold knives of light
Make every outline clear in a northern island,
The separating [...]
Oh Who Is That Young Sinner?
Posted in A E Housman, Poetry on December 19, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Oh who is that young sinner with the handcuffs on his wrists?
And what has he been after that they groan and shake their fists?
And wherefore is he wearing such a conscience-stricken air?
Oh they’re taking him to prison for the colour of his hair.
‘Tis a shame to human nature such a head of hair as his;
In [...]
Eclogue
Posted in John Crowe Ransom, Poetry on December 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
JANE SNEED BEGAN IT: My poor John, alas,
Ten years ago, pretty it was in a ring
To run as boys and girls do in the grass -
At that time leap and hollo and skip and sing
Came easily to pass.
And precious little innocents were we.
Said a boy, ‘Now shall we let her be the fox?’
Or a girl, [...]
Tree At My Window
Posted in Poetry, Robert Frost on December 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Tree at my window, window tree,
My sash is lowered when night comes on;
But let there never be curtain drawn
Between you and me.
Vague dream-head lifted out of the ground,
And thing next most diffused to cloud,
Not all your light tongues talking aloud
Could be profound.
But, tree, I have seen you taken and tossed,
And if you have seen me [...]
She Tells Her Love …
Posted in Poetry, Robert Graves on December 6, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
She tells her love while half asleep,
In the dark hours,
With half-words whispered low:
As Earth stirs in her winter sleep
And puts out grass and flowers
Despite the snow,
Despite the falling snow.
(Robert Graves)
The God Abandons Antony
Posted in C P Cavafy, Lawrence Durrell, Poetry on December 3, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
When suddenly at darkest midnight heard,
The invisible company passing, the clear voices,
Ravishing music of invisible choirs -
Your fortunes having failed you now,
Hopes gone aground, a lifetime of desires
Turned into smoke. Ah! Do not agonize
At what is past deceiving
But like a man long since prepared
With courage say your last good-byes
To Alexandria as she is leaving.
Do not [...]
