death i cant escape thee

[Alan Sondheim]

death i cant escape thee
death thou art behind me
death i cant escape thee
death thou are behind me

death thou dost confound me
death i can't escape thee
death thou dost confound me
death i can't escape thee

death i die in sleep of thee
death thou dost confound me
death i die in sleep of thee
death thou dost confound me

death thou art upon me
death i die in sleep of thee
death thou art upon me
death i die in sleep of thee

death i can't escape thee
death thou art upon me
death i can't escape thee
death thou art upon me

"i can't escape death. it is always there. it troubles my dreams. i find
myself dying. i find myself decaying. my body is my loss. i feel it slip
away. i am confounded. there is nothing i can do."

"little simple romantic poem:
"Country Fire"

"the firebells bray at night;
"the countryside grows chokedly in flame;
"we attempt to flee the holocaust,
"are turned back, from the crossroads, in pain.

"in our dry light and open rafters
"we find reflected only traces
"of our being; aghast, we stare upon ourselves
"in contemplation of our hollow faces.

"from every eave, from every black, charred beam,
"from all burnt corners, all seared broken boards
"that stare exposed, no longer name a room,
"we read our parts, of chattels, not of lords."

"Cain

"Did you know what would be there, among your rotten hills?
"The vileness that destiny has pressed upon you?
"In filth and vengeance, see the crowd that mills,
"The cross upon his brow, the rain of glows!
"His eyes transfixed by spears, he staggers home;
"His claws are torn in blood, and still they come!
"His cracking body, broken teeth with foam,
"Proclaim the bawdy nights, the flow of rum.

"Wenches screaming in a thousand poses,
"Gambling wildly, in all sorts of ruses,
"Returning home to take the ready doses,
"To ease his steady pain and salve his bruises:

"Found bottle on the table, candle in the parlor;
"Knife on the bench and glass in the cupboard;
"Danced in circles with a thousand harlots,
"Feeling tense and turning, burning in the discord!

"His mother good as dead, his father gone,
"His brother in his bed in his dark room--
"He pushed aside the curtains with a groan,
"And in his wild frenzy caught his doom!

"And ours. For who can tell--that mark that lay upon him
"Might yet be our god. And now you know the rest--
"His body smashed, His heart,His eyes gouged out,
"He lies upon the Crossroads, Cain's bequest."


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