The successful man has thrust himself
Through the water of the years,
Reeking wet with mistakes —
Bloody mistakes;
Slimed with victories over the lesser,
A figure thankful on the shore of money.
Then, with the bones of fools
He buys silken banners
Limned with his triumphant face;
With the skins of wise men
He buys the trivial bows of all.
Flesh painted with marrow
Contributes a coverlet,
A coverlet for his contented slumber.
In guiltless ignorance, in ignorant guilt,
He delivered his secrets to the riven multitude.
“Thus I defended: Thus I wrought.”
Complacent, smiling,
He stands heavily on the dead.
Erect on a pillar of skulls
He declaims his trampling of babes;
Smirking, fat, dripping,
He makes speech in guiltless ignorance,
Innocence.
(Stephen Crane)
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Based on Topics: Faces Poems, Smiling Poems, Money & Wealth Poems, Wisdom & Knowledge Poems, Water Poems, Fool Poems, Error & Mistake Poems, Innocence Poems, Ignorance PoemsBased on Keywords: figure, fat, speech, wrought, thrust, dripping, guilt, slumber, painted, erect, silken