#AmericanWriters
Once, I knew a fine song, —It is true, believe me— It was all of birds, And I held them in a basket; When I opened the wicket,
A slant of sun on dull brown walls… A forgotten sky of bashful blue. Toward God a mighty hymn, A song of collisions and cries, Rumbling wheels, hoof-beats, bells…
There was a great cathedral. To solemn songs, A white procession Moved toward the altar. The chief man there
“What says the sea, little shell? What says the sea? Long has our brother been silent t… Kept his message for the ships, Awkward ships, stupid ships.”
Upon the road of my life, Passed me many fair creatures, Clothed all in white, and radiant. To one, finally, I made speech: “Who art thou?”
AH, God, the way your little fing… As you thrust a bare arm backward And made play with your hair And a comb a silly gilt comb Ah, God—that I should suffer
You say you are holy, And that Because I have not seen you sin. Aye, but there are those Who see you sin, my friend.
If there is a witness to my little… To my tiny throes and struggles, He sees a fool; And it is not fine for gods to men…
Friend, your white beard sweeps th… Why do you stand, expectant? Do you hope to see it In one of your withered days? With your old eyes
A MAN builded a bugle for the st… The focused winds hurled him afar. He said that the instrument was a… II When the suicide arrived at the sk…
When the prophet, a complacent fat… Arrived at the mountain-top, He cried: “Woe to my knowledge! I intended to see good white lands And bad black lands,
Why do you strive for greatness, f… Go pluck a bough and wear it. It is as sufficing. My Lord, there are certain barbar… Who tilt their noses
There was crimson clash of war. Lands turned black and bare; Women wept; Babes ran, wondering. There came one who understood not…
Tradition, thou art for suckling c… Thou art the enlivening milk for b… But no meat for men is in thee. Then— But, alas, we all are babes.
I was in the darkness; I could not see my words Nor the wishes of my heart. Then suddenly there was a great li… “Let me into the darkness again.”