4. canto - Shakespeare's Monkeys

4. canto

i sing

under deep breaths and heavy sighs
the endless drips of wheres not whys

"not wise," i say to her and play our song
again along dear love's replies, "it's wrong

to be, to know, to think and so
let's not. Let's not be we-who-dare-not-go

beware-too-much-and-die-although-we
breathe-and-beat-and-romp-and-see.

it's wrong to half-way never scream, create
and dream we ate hymns from china plate."

i loved her once or twice or thrice but when
she spoke, i sighed again, i sighed and then

"to think, to think, to think.. it is not wrong
this thought alone .. it is my song."

as swift she faded from dear memory
i sang, i sang... i sang..this thought

this thought

is me.

White_Feather -

This almost made me cry. It's so beautiful. I absolutely love the flow and rhythm. This whole section takes my breath away - perhaps because it's powerful and perfect in my eyes, and perhaps because it speaks to a place I am in my own life. I could almost tape it to the refrigerator (which is more of a compliment than it sounds).

"Let's not be we-who-dare-not-go

beware-too-much-and-die-although-we
breathe-and-beat-and-romp-and-see.

it's wrong to half-way never scream, create
and dream we ate hymns from china plate."

Alcuin of York -
Dang! Even singing has to be forlorn? Nothing uplifting? Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no joy in Mudville?

Actually, very very musical, like a song, a song not long, internal rhyme, infernal time well kept, never slept...
oh Hell! I forgot – it’s your poem.

OK, one more time. It sounds out very much like music, and the internal rhymes keep it from seeming too structured or artificial. It didn't make me cry (unlike W-F), but I liked it a lot.
Alcuin