Mango Walk

those who are gone into the long cold dark

are soon forgotten in the raw hot fight

we take a short spell now to be contrite

and far too soon ignore the tiny mark

reminding each that they have to embark

and no one stays on shore by moral right

nor could be granted a much greater light

when there is but one choice simple and stark

there are no monsters out in that great deep

that we should fear just the unceasing calm

and silent starless wonder that began

where all the universe's secrets keep

in their old hearts the only honest balm

of open absence lacking evil plan

we lean on memory which best should speak

truths are left open for the world to view

and not a thing we learn is found brand new

our simplest urges have been branded cheek

this is the way when you offer critique

to any of that old and famished crew

whose lives are based on noise and ballyhoo

but honesty's a sharp tool for the weak

now all our signals have to be sent clear

with not a scent or symbol of the crypt

that might annoy or otherwise distract

our solemn purpose is to keep out fear

obey all orders and stick to the script

while leaving to you knowledge of the fact

no giants guard against brigades of lies

so many horrors weigh upon each life

and there is nothing here to replace strife

upon each back is weight of thousand eyes

those are strange stars under the darker skies

and each will shine as brightly as a knife

while rumours of new horror still run rife

and no one wants to listen to our cries

this is an age of change and every breath

announces that we have not yet been felled

or placed within the boxes of the night

but there are worse conclusions still than death

we stood and watched while better men rebelled

knowing that they took our place in the fight

if we will measure only the green glow

of noontime forests we may not learn all

that we desire the way that the slight fall

of tired leaves has marked off what we know

from what is hidden not a daily show

but something that might lead us just to call

our hearts to action the sun must stand tall

above our heads and our feet not be slow

not now the time for hope in magic forms

our choices must be urgent and depend

upon the blending of our thought and sight

it is our duty to obey the norms

not to bow down before each changing trend

but always to proclaim the rising light

winter may come and go and with it pain
and summer's heat reminds us of no woe
the passing storm will burnish solar glow
and life seem cleaner for the heavy rain
all of the signals turn out quite arcane
since we are left with words we cannot know
like creaking thunder or the lightning blow
they serve to crush all meaning in each brain
the darkness would not lift and when we spoke
of worry of or fear not one could say
just how the trend of all our thoughts would twist
from calm to fright at the old-fashioned joke
that seemed to presage one more judgment day
and monsters looming once more in the mist

so in the end we make a baby smile
displays of virtue or of beauty mean
not much when we have left the human scene
but love may last more than a little while
each journey takes us a long country mile
and when it starts all vistas seem quite green
the final desert is so stark and clean
and the oasis but falsely fertile
no places clearly marked upon the map
to show us where to go or where we leave
our hopes and harmony for the next fool
to see and puzzle his way through the trap
or better yet more thoroughly conceive
just what we could not the ultimate cool

what matters is that we have reached the shore
and seen the waves that break upon the sand
the miracle of sea that touches land
and then goes back and touches it once more
it is enough to find that i adore
the sight of you the touch of your soft hand
this is a thing that i could not demand
all i desire and then a gift of more
what i can say is said by better men
no doubt of that but still the words must come
and i must say them here and set them free
there is so much that just escapes the pen
i want to speak but feel i am struck dumb
just overwhelmed by what seems a vast sea

this is the border and you have to pass
across the line there's nothing you can test
on this dry side you have lost your behest
the wind has told you secrets of the grass
and you are bored with them they have no class
no great significance and you detest
all you've been taught here it is one more jest
out of the thousands all of them most crass
so now you look across and hope to view
some sign of change that might match your desire
to see those things that you know they would hide
from your eye's sight you crave the urgent new
and want to leave behind the raving fire
as memory and marker of your pride