Marlow Rejoins Kurtz
~John Taylor
Slowly falling away, wrapping
myself up in the shroud
of wool I draw out of the self below, black
yarn from sheep she pastures after midnight
in the landscape of beginning,
I make my nightly journey upcountry
down the gullet of the snake.
As I near the interior I am divested of my habits
and reclothed in the warm pall, going back
to habits I had before,
and now the dead are dreaming me
and I nestle beside my brother,
the long bag of bones carved out of ivory --
we lie down together in the dark continent
hidden inside the mattress.
All great things crush themselves, such end the gods
Allot the height of honor, men so strong
By land, and sea, no forreine force could ruine:
O Roome thy selfe art cause of all these evils ,
Thy selfe thus shivered out to three mens shares:
Dire league of partners in a kingdome last not.
~C.Marlow
from the First Booke of Lucan |
