Brigit's Flame Week 1 - Dog Days
Arabian Odyssey - a found language poem
respectfully dedicated to TE Lawrence, from whose biographies and works I have taken the phrases which comprise this poem
Not normally inclined to hero-worship
him I have followed to the ends of the earth
spending long hours in the dog days of summer
lying on the floor contemplating
rather precious books
in vellum stained with Tyrian dye
I fancy traveling beggar fashion
mad to walk, prejudiced against anything with four legs
As Lawrence did, this odd obsessive driven man
uncrowned king of the desert
savior of the Arab Revolt
perhaps lover of men young and sturdy
hot flesh and blood
slaking one another's needs in their clean bodies.
Man in all things lived candidly with man.
Shutting his eyes to the world
Accordingly he hurt himself
not merely to be free but to please himself
Luxury in abnegation
nakedness of the mind as sensuous
as nakedness of the body.
Each man owned his own desire so utterly
that it became meaningless.
I revel in the heat of the desert
unwelcome and unwanted vigor
hot bread in hand mingling with the taste of dust
in these long days of summer
broken down in the cruelty of the sun
grasses twined like little hands as we ran
Cropped reefs of limestone tore our feet
leaving a rusty print upon the ground
with every stride.
Water was rare with us
if all could not drink,
better none should.
Our Arabs plundered the Turks
The surrender went off quietly after all
We wandered into the shadowed palm groves
at the very break of splashing waves.
Akaba is taken,
onward to Damascus!
respectfully dedicated to TE Lawrence, from whose biographies and works I have taken the phrases which comprise this poem
Not normally inclined to hero-worship
him I have followed to the ends of the earth
spending long hours in the dog days of summer
lying on the floor contemplating
rather precious books
in vellum stained with Tyrian dye
I fancy traveling beggar fashion
mad to walk, prejudiced against anything with four legs
As Lawrence did, this odd obsessive driven man
uncrowned king of the desert
savior of the Arab Revolt
perhaps lover of men young and sturdy
hot flesh and blood
slaking one another's needs in their clean bodies.
Man in all things lived candidly with man.
Shutting his eyes to the world
Accordingly he hurt himself
not merely to be free but to please himself
Luxury in abnegation
nakedness of the mind as sensuous
as nakedness of the body.
Each man owned his own desire so utterly
that it became meaningless.
I revel in the heat of the desert
unwelcome and unwanted vigor
hot bread in hand mingling with the taste of dust
in these long days of summer
broken down in the cruelty of the sun
grasses twined like little hands as we ran
Cropped reefs of limestone tore our feet
leaving a rusty print upon the ground
with every stride.
Water was rare with us
if all could not drink,
better none should.
Our Arabs plundered the Turks
The surrender went off quietly after all
We wandered into the shadowed palm groves
at the very break of splashing waves.
Akaba is taken,
onward to Damascus!