The sunburnt terraces which swans make home
with water purling, Macchu Pichu died
like Delphi long ago-
a message to Justinian closing it out,
the thousand years’ authority, although
tho’ never found exactly wrong
political patterns did indeed emerge;
the Oracle was conservative, like Lippmann,
roared the winds on the height,
The Shining Ones behind the shrine, whose verge
saw the impious plunged, 6000 statures
above the Temple shone
plundered, centuries plundered, first the gold
then bronze & marble, then the plinths,
then the dead nerve-
root-canal-work, ugh. I-I still hold
for the saviour of teeth, & I embrace
only he threw me a vicious
(John Berryman)
More Poetry from John Berryman:
John Berryman Poems based on Topics: Gold, Conservative- The Ball Poem (John Berryman Poems)
- Dream Song 73: Karensui, Ryoan-ji (John Berryman Poems)
- Dream Song 96: Under the table, no. That last was stunning (John Berryman Poems)
- Dream Song 77: Seedy Henry rose up shy (John Berryman Poems)
- Dream Song 115: Her properties, like her of course & frisky & new (John Berryman Poems)
- Dream Song 113: or Amy Vladeck or Riva Freifeld (John Berryman Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Gold Poems, Conservative PoemsBased on Keywords: delphi, i-i, plinths, statures, justinian, root-canal-work, lippmann, macchu, pichu