dedalus Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 When I dance along the cluttered quays the whores fall babbling to their knees and rinse their mouths of curses; I rest content, may this you please, aware of Nature’s slight reverses. Ships ply daily across the ocean to what harbour towns I have no notion, and so I turn my eyes upon the houses; I stand quite still, bereft of motion, until a quiet feeling this arouses. I have just passed these many days observing the signals and secret ways of the people I have come among; I absorb their silent ayes and nays as words of a hymn I have always sung. I am the eyes and ears of our faraway king, sent here to observe every man and thing that may affect our nation; I court success, of this I sing, to fail would bring damnation. Quote Drown your sorrows in drink, by all means, but the real sorrows can swim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmarti1 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Past-life hypno therapy? :) Simple and direct, but still a tad bit mysterous. Love the inclusion of a date in the title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Googled the date and assume the poem relates to Counter Reformation and the Church of Rome. Date aside: the tone suggests spies and subterfuge from a time when Monarchs ruled supreme. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dedalus Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Nothing so precise. I was aiming for High Renaissance before decline set in. Quote Drown your sorrows in drink, by all means, but the real sorrows can swim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David W. Parsley Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Thanks for clearing that up, Brendan. I, too, was sure some explicitly historical figure was being channeled here. Your poem captures the high mindedness and ambition, the hope, of the period, while not succumbing to that vision entirely. Excellent tempering through a fine use of irony. I like the form, too, with feminine rhymes and other word-play inviting a slip from irony into outright hilarity. Enjoyed, - Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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