30 IX 2001 - 22:43 - poema_malum4

As September draws to a close, I realize that I haven't submitted anything to the poetica-collab project thingy. (Oh yes, good use of English there, J.) The topic this month was "narrative poetry: an undelivered communication." I probably shouldn't be posting this under the premise that bad is worse than none at all, but *shrugs* it's my online presence and I can post what I want to.

And by the way, fiat pax means "let there be peace," not "songs of otherness." Just to clear up any confusion (Rachel, I think that was your problem?)

you never bothered to look closely
and if you would you might have seen:
seen i was too small
for what I had to say -

all those times you demanded "louder"
you ignored me, cast my pen away
you thought it had no import:
and all that time i was too small
had no bellows for my use -

you never bothered to look closely
didn't give for others' terms
never thought they had a temper
never thought they'd turn away

and then when you thought you'd listen
you found we'd all gone
to serve that older master
in an older vaster realm:

so come to claim us if you dare:
we're past charon and the styx
where lethe and acheron meet
and not all mnemosyne's water
will soothetendsave you here

What can I say? Desperation breeds bad poetry... now. Time to go write that essay of mine.

J

cano, canere, cecini, cantus (3) to sing
thus: Arma virumque cano... "I sing of arms and of a man." (Aeneid, Vergil; Book I, line 1)