by phillipw | May 20, 2020 | CH, DI, GO, ST
TRUTH: The Notice Board Was Blank Today, as Blank as Death Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem I passed again that notice board today, The one displaying clever Christian quips That used to make me want to...
by phillipw | May 20, 2020 | AN, CR, CU, EG, MU, SE
Pious, Pious, Pious Papyri Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem If you were set the challenge, “Think about The most surreal conflation of some facts From distant times,” I wager (with no doubt That I would...
by phillipw | May 20, 2020 | AR, DI, GO, PR, UN
Imagine How Much Like a Man’s Shaved Armpit Allah Would be without Mohammad Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem No matter who the god is, he needs men To help. He needs the prophets to deploy Their fiery...
by phillipw | May 20, 2020 | CO, PO, TI, TS, VO
The Legends and the Gods, the Victors and Obliterations Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem The flow of cosmic history through this mote We call the world has always been a rush, Not slow like muddy...
by phillipw | May 20, 2020 | JO, KE
Virgins in Self-sacrificial Auto da Fé Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem John Keats on his deathbed. ~Joseph Severn “His ‘magic’ does not take account of what cannot be known.”* His beauty does not care...
by phillipw | May 20, 2020 | BE, BR, EA, MA, RA, WA
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 | May 20, 2020 | AN, CL, PO, 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 | May 20, 2020 | AR, DE, GA, Ho, PA, PH, PO, RI, SA, 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...
