by phillipw | Jul 14, 2019 | BE, BR
Death Defied in the British Library I sit across from Wayne, but decades on And much improved. Not only young again, But cuter nose, and lips more cushion drawn, More velvet-shaped—too lovely, these, to deign To pray or sing a Sabbath verse. The hair Is lovely,...
by phillipw | Jul 14, 2019 | TR
Once was Evil Enough The ancient tragedies of Athens played Upon that stage just once and then were rolled Around themselves in paper. They had made Impressions strong enough and so were scrolled Up, waiting … silently … for who knows what? For paper...
by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | RI, VE
Black Star “Poetry is a Destructive Force.” ~ Wallace Stevens “Panteurs cruelles” ~ Arthur Rimbaud, “Voyelles” A hurricane’s extremest blast is like The force of Rimbaud. Alexandrines fell Like...
by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | PA
More Pointed than Pantheism The god of gods appeared on earth today. He settled on a springtime tree—a crown Of whitest pink and petals came straight down From heaven. There they murmured silent whims Of glories that no mortal eye has seen. They chanted without sound...
by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | RI, VE
Verlaine Agonistes “for me Rimbaud is an ever-living reality, a sun aflame within me, a sun that will not suffer eclipse” ~ Paul Verlaine long after Arthur’s death The Philistines bored out the strongman’s eyes With iron-cold gouges. Verlaine lost his sight By...
