Trash171219.06 Poems of the LateTang www.jayarama.us Poems of the LateTang

THE BROAD-BACKED hippopotamus Rests on his belly in the mud; Although he seems so firm to us He is merely flesh and blood. Flesh and blood is weak and frail, Susceptible to nervous shock; While the True Church can never fail For it is based upon a rock. The hippo’s feeble steps may err In compassing material ends, While the True Church need never stir To gather in its dividends.

The ’potamus can never reach The mango on the mango-tree; But fruits of pomegranate and peach Refresh the Church from over sea. At mating time the hippo’s voice Betrays inflexions hoarse and odd, But every week we hear rejoice The Church, at being one with God. The hippopotamus’s day Is passed in sleep; at night he hunts; God works in a mysterious way— The Church can sleep and feed at once.

I saw the ’potamus take wing Ascending from the damp savannas, And quiring angels round him sing The praise of God, in loud hosannas. Blood of the Lamb shall wash him clean And him shall heavenly arms enfold, Among the saints he shall be seen Performing on a harp of gold. He shall be washed as white as snow, By all the martyr’d virgins kist, While the True Church remains below Wrapt in the old miasmal mist. T.S. Eliot

“Damn. Damn. Damn. Everything but the circus “Damn! Damn! Damn! Everything but the circus! ...damn everything that is grim, dull, motionless, unrisking, inward turning, Damn everything that won't get into the circle, that won't enjoy. That won't throw it's heart into the tension, surprise, fear and delight of the circus, The round world, the full existence...” e e cummings

Oh, to be such a splendid fellow like this, self-contained, ready of speech, agile beyond conception, braving the forces of society, his hand against everyone, yet always getting the best of it! Maxfield Parrish (Illustration)

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner  SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE Argument  How a Ship having passed the Line was driven by storms to the cold Country towards the South Pole; and how from thence she made her course to the tropical Latitude of the Great Pacific Ocean; and of the strange things that befell; and in what manner the Ancyent Marinere came back to his own Country.

PART I It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three PART I  It is an ancient Mariner,  And he stoppeth one of three.  'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,  Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?  The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide,  And I am next of kin;  The guests are met, the feast is set:  May'st hear the merry din.'  He holds him with his skinny hand,  'There was a ship,' quoth he.  'Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!'  Eftsoons his hand dropt he.  He holds him with his glittering eye—  The Wedding-Guest stood still,  And listens like a three years' child:  The Mariner hath his will. 

The ice was here, the ice was there,  The ice was all around:  It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,  Like noises in a swound!  At length did cross an Albatross,  Thorough the fog it came;  As if it had been a Christian soul,  We hailed it in God's name.  It ate the food it ne'er had eat,  And round and round it flew.  The ice did split with a thunder-fit;  The helmsman steered us through! 

'God save thee, ancient Mariner!  From the fiends, that plague thee thus!—  Why look'st thou so?'—With my cross-bow  I shot the ALBATROSS. Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,  'Twas sad as sad could be;  And we did speak only to break  The silence of the sea!  All in a hot and copper sky,  The bloody Sun, at noon,  Right up above the mast did stand,  No bigger than the Moon.  Day after day, day after day,  We stuck, nor breath nor motion;  As idle as a painted ship  Upon a painted ocean. 

Water, water, every where,  Nor any drop to drink.  The very deep did rot: O Christ!  That ever this should be!  Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs  Upon the slimy sea. An orphan's curse would drag   A spirit from on high;  But oh! That’s not half as bad  As the curse in a dead man's eye! 

Farewell, farewell. but this I tell To thee, thou Wedding-Guest Farewell, farewell! but this I tell  To thee, thou Wedding-Guest!  He prayeth well, who loveth well  Both man and bird and beast.  He prayeth best, who loveth best  All things both great and small;  For the dear God who loveth us,  He made and loveth all. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43997/the-rime-of-the-ancient-mariner-text-of-1834