Mónon Autón

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

               “And you must love him ere to you

                         He will seem worthy of your love.”

~William Wordsworth

John could not think to figure out just why

He loved him (Charles).  It might have been his hair,

His hair like Absalom’s while he was hanging high,

His body pierced with darts (that oak tree’s snare)

But beautiful, black, beautiful those curls

In life, in death. His hare-brained way of thought

It might have been, that way his brain in twirls

Found sweeps away from scripture’s should and ought.

It might have been his hands and forearms raised

For heaven’s chrism on his hair with oil

Of frankincense and myrrh as Charles’ heart praised

Christ, black his curls in blackest coil, coil, coil.

Yet John knew well while singing Sabbath’s hymn

    That he loved Charles for what was only him.