NOWHERE APPROACHING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE SOUND

nowhere approaching the magnitude of the sound

of the rushing of the waters of words in the ancient poems

those of newer persuasion round the stump of

the trees of life cut down, flourish in their withering

deceiving multitudes with vapid intimations.

what can we say who plough still the ancient ground of song

and know close to the heartbeat of it all the wildest cataracts unending

still in the tongue of all grasses and the skies themselves

oh only can the soul be found unravished and irrevocably rooted

in the ground of God himself beyond time and all endurance, crowned.

but now from poetry the soul is largely banished

the querulous arise and take the stage

and coffee house languor feeds upon the superficial pose

deposing in favor of the trivialities

the old emblems, embers embroidered and embroidered upon

so that the heart knew this was fertile ground

the impeccable homeland of music

what cannot be bartered

even at the cost of our lives

discarded, for it is not trending

even as we lay down in the tracks of vanishing snows

our anonymous stanzas still

on the altar of lost beauty and reverence.

feeling from the world, our severance.

mary angela douglas 25 october 2023

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1Mary Angela Douglas