Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 2, No. 1 March 8, 1939

Let There be Light

Let There be Light

For I have known the lightning
and the brightened day
and the searing flame of flesh,
eyes deeper, mind of clay.

Musty mouthings of parchment solicitors,
dead, aimless scratchings of crabbed clerks.
foam-mouthed frenzy of little demagogues
burbling in mob-haunted parks—

Cold as a soundless tomb,
empty and bitter as a whore's caress:
for I have known the lightning
and cannot be content with less.

Steel-flashing sabres
Striving of spears
Rumbles of drum-fire
Shricking and tears

"Hic jacet Diego"
Who died like he
For Spain and the people!
R.I.P.

Booming and rending
I am afraid
Tearing and zooming
Retrograde.

But I cannot go buck now—
there is no possible retreat,
not even when the moon uncovers
her breast,

cold, blue-veined stone, strangely sweet.

I cannot hide now in the bosom of the
wind,

and nowhere is there any shade from
the sun,

and the night is smoothed darkly over
the sky,

and the dawn has not begun.

The oozing crowd
Gyrates to the tones
Of leering crooners
And saxophones

"In the decorated
Hall
A lovely time was had
By all"

Hollow kisses
Void embraces
Leaden footsteps
In sunless places.

But I must arise flow, eager and clean-limbed.
and sweep forward exultantly like fire,
for I have known the lightning
and the soft breath of desire.

—R.L.M.