The interlocking cones of history
spin in their inevitable courses,
one rising as the other declines
over the creeping flux of heedless Time.
The Second Coming is no longer
imminent--it has arrived.
Not the Christian realm of peace,
but an altogether darker kingdom.
The "blood-dimmed tide" was but a harbinger
of things to come; a violent and depraved
era of hedonism, of greed and lust; an age
we surely recognise and cleave to,
like a familiar (and perverse) lover.
The rough beast has long been among us:
his slow thighs have crushed all human hope.
A contest entry
- Y is for Yeats - William Butler Yeats by just mercedes.
1400 points, ended October 14, 2008, 9 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 10 of 10
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The power and surety of these events are at our fingertips of Gods Word. The love we have will only become stronger as we accept Jesus and bind to the blessings shared by faith. Thanks for the reminder. Great write.
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Not much hope there and it's very Yeatsian; sounds a lot like some of the poems I studied in school. The "violet and depraved era" does not seem to be upon us whereas, back when I became acquainted with Yeats's work, there might have been a chance that it wouldn't happen. Or maybe I was just naive!
Congrats on getting the silver for an excellent write.
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"His slow thighs have crushed all human hope" -- such a powerful ending for a vibrant and evocative poem. Mazel tov a chara for the well-won silver.
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Thank you for this entry in the contest. This is a strong response to the prompt poem, and I feel you know the prompt well, and have thought of it before.
'the creeping flux of heedless Time' is a brilliant line, but the strongest in the poem are the final two.
I feel you speak of the darker kingdom as the world post WW1, the 'harbinger of things to come' and I recognise your description. The title, and the form of the poem, work so well together. I kept trying to make it into a sonnet - it almost is. -
...great reply to Yeats' Lamenation!
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Both stanzas could stand independently of the other and yet work as a duo, especially liked the last three lines in the second verse. A strong ending, as tight as a vice.
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Painful the dying ...
off of selfish deceit ... but necessary to regain our Life. This is our surety, our Hope.
You wrote a deft verse of the reverse.
Love
Myra
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cycles of history are always with us, just as you spoke of, spinning in inevitable courses. When we breathe a sigh of relief as the bad times pass us by, we seldom stop to think, it's on its way back around. Very prophetic!
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OK, I have sat here long enough trying to think of an apposite comment. Brain paralysed. You'd better take these bunnies off my hands.
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Wow Bill you certainly hit the nail on the head with this write my friend. Strong, powerful, truthful, sadly all to present today..Excellent...mal
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