| Poem 1642 Last night, in the evening glow, when we watched our shadows grow into giants, young and bright, filling our hearts with childish fright. So we fled through infinite meadows, chased by our gigantic shadows till we fell sprawling to the ground and the source of our fuss was found. Summer grass licked our naked feet, like puppies, with tongues so sweet, and the fields were ruled by laughter, as it had to be for ever after. But the hills buried the sun deep, and our giant friends were forced to sleep. Night had swallowed Day; joy was wrecked by dismay. Darkness blackened our faces and quickened our fearful paces. Lost in the Night's maw and no saviour to cry for. Drowsily, we bumped against the sky, a dirty, pitch-black, concrete lie. A state of choking confusion, but too young to grasp life's illusion. Stupefied did I stare at the paperboard moon, up in the air; at the sparkling stars above the land, switched on by a human hand. You took off your mask and showed me a smile, O so phoney, O so vile; and you laughed and laughed and laughed at a joke so painful, so daft. |
| back to where it all began |