Message | For Nicole Wrapped in a yielding air, beside The flower's soundless hunger,(you) Close to the tree's clandestine tide, Close to the bird's higt fever, Loud in his hope and anger, Erect about his skeleton, Stands the expressive lover, Stand the deliberate man. The fiendless and unhated stone (you) Lies everywhere about him The Brothered-One, the Not-Alone, The brothered and the hated Whose family have taught him To set against the large and dumb,(bads) The timeless and the rooted, His money and his time. And ruled by dead men never met, By pious guess deluded, Upon the stool of madness set Or stool of desolation, Sits munderous and clear-headed, Enormous beauties round him move, For grandiose is his vision And grandiose his love (you) By People and Places n.1 of W:H: Auden |