informant38
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...But of these sophisms and elenchs of merchandise I skill not...
Milton, Areopagitica

Except he had found the
standing sea-rock that even this last
Temptation breaks on; quieter than death but lovelier; peace
that quiets the desire even of praising it.

Jeffers, Meditation On Saviors


-

4.11.02

and there was no long charge that day

we trotted


through the valley of death. Trotted

through grape, great shot, volleys that plumed

in gristle.

But we would not hustle.


The Lancers, Dragoons, the Light Dragoons,

the 8th and 11th Hussars!

There goes the hand of Shewell! flying back

into the west!


There goes Beltel's head like a magnificent crow

flapping into the hoof-mud!

Until finally the men, blast them, broke

the canter,


and between the Fedioukine Hills and Causeway Heights

we cantered in reducing numbers

toward the battery wall of smoke white booming

where, tomorrow, the sun will rise. And Oh


at 80 yards we were all frightfully ready to kill, really,

And we charged,

just so,
....


Gabriel Gudding

A Defense of Poetry

2001 Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize

University of Pittsburgh Press
in Poetry Daily, Nov. 4,'02

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