photo: Stephen Alsford
| home page | list of works |
|
Daybreak! The witness from shadow came striding, Arrogant youth in his eagle's proud guise, Spat out bravado and cast himself skyward Cruciform fixture, to stare in the eyes Of the captive prize. Across the cliff-walls (prison stones) Into the unknown East, oft-thrown Javelin meteors – ardour's flames Spurring on the flier's aims. On the route, through mid-sea straits, Erebus waits with open gates To welcome fallen heroes home. Rare bird, prodigy, innocent child: When your father stretched forth his hand To cut short the trial, Did you understand? Scorched by the first light of a dazzling jewel, Captured aloft in a prism of gold, Flight could not take you where beauty had beckoned; Plummeting blinded, now lie so cold Beside heroes bold. Now peace you angel, stir no more! Tender your soul, surrender war's Burning passion: your desire; Hades is of ice, not fire. In that realm of night's preserve Priest and princeps, Lucifer, Is oracle and orator. Dark-faced catafalque, altar of Hell, In the place of the sacrifice, Where Icarus fell From a starless sky, Children fish new dreams of glory, from oceans Stretching eternal through future and past, Net dread of dying or promise in rumours In wind-rippled waters, spin games of chance To catch where they cast .... Hot blood, the gifts of youth – shall such decide If the soul breaks free from its shell, To rise? Or subside To a grim stone bed in Hell? |
| (1977) |
|
photo: Stephen Alsford |
| Created: November 17, 2014. | © Stephen Alsford |