A man who lies to himself is often the first to take offense. It sometimes feels very good to take offense, doesn’t it?” – The Elder Zosima, The Brothers K.
Soft Armor
Guard against the joylessness –
the shout
the sloganed cry.
Guard against the chanted curse
and truthful-seeming lie.
Guard against the joylessness –
against the sheepish fright.
Guard against the mirthless marches
that wilt without the light
(a truly righteous Army thrives
even out of sight).
Guard against the joylessness –
the hunt
the blue bird’s noose.
Guard against the flashing placards
that turn a lynching loose.
Guard against the joylessness –
against the textbook heart.
Guard against the low momentum
of the classroom’s faded arts
(the ivory’s crumbling fastest
at the over-polished parts).
Guard against the joylessness
my son,
my girl child,
by suiting up in Mother’s grace
and wielding Father’s smile
The PVP Diaries #59 –Andy Havens
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Gerard Van der Leun
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& adding to your discussion elsewhere Prof. Wagstaff;
Poets love their revolutions.
Nothing more revolting than a poetic revolution. Or a revolutionary poet.