NIGHT crawls over the lands betwixt Atlantic
And that deep musical sea whom men call peaceful:
The lanterns, visible dreams of men through darkness,
Now strive against the intolerable chill,
Night’s mountainous whispers:
Upon our fields the glowworms, and the meadows
Sloping to south where lie the impatient lovers
Desiring darkness for their sweet exploring,
And by the lakes the watchers on the shore
Sheltering the candles
And vaster flames above the unravished woods,
Men who bear torches over snow and women
Crouched over the numb, licking the frozen toes,
The frozen cheeks caressing, crying against the
Torch-bearing heavens:
But hush: follow these darker clouds and see
In utter spiritual blackness the assassins:
Enormous cities whose ten thousand lamps
Console no traveller’s weary solitary
Light-loving eyelids.
(Frederic Prokosch)
More Poetry from Frederic Prokosch:
Frederic Prokosch Poems based on Topics: Cry, Night, Man- The Tragedians (Frederic Prokosch Poems)
- The Cliffs (Frederic Prokosch Poems)
- The Assassins (Frederic Prokosch Poems)
- Evening (Frederic Prokosch Poems)
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