Henri Rousseau
is it enough
to walk through
clovered coastal fields
shaded by fig trees
to ride the white foam crest of waves
to watch lightning split the dark sky
to suck the pulp from ripe passion fruit
to watch a myriad of butterflies
raid the lantana bush
to revel in the peach smell
of the solander flower
to bury one's face in the dark pink crepe myrtle
to smell the first plops of rain
on a hot tin roof
should we ask for more?
we all wear the mark of cain
so we will anyway
our greed knows no bounds
except for the saints
and precious few of them
walk amongst us
(Revised from 2014)
Plain spoken truth...with wonderful imagery.
ReplyDeleteVery true. But I think enough of us walk that we have a consciousness of trying to do better, to try to make this world better, although I fear it is too late
ReplyDeleteLove this especially; "to revel in the peach smell of the solander flower to bury one's face in the dark pink crepe myrtle"💜
ReplyDeleteIt should be enough, but for many it is not. Beautiful writing Rall!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to compare this with Plath's "Sestina for the Douanier"--"those great lilies!"
ReplyDeleteNo, there's not a lot of reserve in our culture today. One of Bonhoeffer's prison letters outlined a book about it. One of Wendell Berry's books might have been that book, or that book might still be waiting to be written.
You paint in words a picture to rival Rousseau's. Which makes the cynical but unarguable ending pack all the more punch. Yes, what a greedy, selfish and ultimately stupid lot we are.
ReplyDeleteIs it enough indeed! I love the colours, stated and suggested, in:
ReplyDelete'to ride the white foam crest of waves
to watch lightning split the dark sky
to suck the pulp from ripe passion fruit
to watch a myriad of butterflies'.