Conversation with St. Jacques' Animals


Prototype of Dog, of Lion,
     Time-toppled stones do
     change for us - -
     matter to matter,
          undissolved.

Plasm, protoplasm, dear
     nerves of child,
     interchange for us - -
     soul and energy,
          unresolved.

As we input Gothic forms,
     hair hewn of rock, digitized,
     process for us - -
     pure vision for babes,
          heralded.

Here stone matter matters,
     inert in snow or sun;
     where Esmeralda danced,
     where Pascal graphed,
     where Sartre witnessed,
     where we sketch,
          Clochards, Punks, Arabs dwell.

If carved creatures utter,
     can they say
     why cold spheres turn,
     why sweet spirit wanes,
     why man's measures fail,
     why even birds cry,
          "Dolor Meus, Salva Me"?

Friends to pilgrims
     Compastello-bound (we would pilgrims be),
     your hazards furnish systems (saints even) - -
     our systems house but systems,
          ordinated.

          Conversation with St. Jacques' Animals


Prototype of Dog, of Lion,
     Time-toppled stones do
     change for us - -
     matter to matter,
          undissolved.

Plasm, protoplasm, dear
     nerves of child,
     interchange for us - -
     soul and energy,
          unresolved.

As we input Gothic forms,
     hair hewn of rock, digitized,
     process for us - -
     pure vision for babes,
          heralded.

Here stone matter matters,
     inert in snow or sun;
     where Esmeralda danced,
     where Pascal graphed,
     where Sartre witnessed,
     where we sketch,
          Clochards, Punks, Arabs dwell.

If carved creatures utter,
     can they say
     why cold spheres turn,
     why sweet spirit wanes,
     why man's measures fail,
     why even birds cry,
          "Dolor Meus, Salva Me"?

Friends to pilgrims
     Compastello-bound (we would pilgrims be),
     your hazards furnish systems (saints even) - -
     our systems house but systems,
          ordinated.