Classic and Contemporary Poetry
HOMAGE TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM, by WILLIAM EMPSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: There is a supreme god in the ethnological section Last Line: And grant his reign over the entire building. Subject(s): British Museum, London; Homage & Respect | ||||||||
There is a supreme God in the ethnological section; A hollow toad shape, faced with a blank shield. He needs his belly to include the Pantheon, Which is inserted through a hole behind. At the navel, at the points formally stressed, at the organs of sense, Lice glue themselves, dolls, local deities, His smooth wood creeps with all the creeds of the world. Attending there let us absorb the cultures of nations And dissolve into our judgement all their codes. Then, being clogged with a natural hesitation (People are continually asking one the way out), Let us stand here and admit that we have no road. Being everything, let us admit that is to be something, Or give ourselves the benefit of the doubt; Let us offer our pinch of dust all to this God, And grant his reign over the entire building. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOMAGE TO DICKINSON by LYNN EMANUEL HOMAGE TO FRANK O'HARA'S PERSONAL POEM by HETTIE JONES HOMAGE TO P. MELLON, I.M. PEI, THEIR GALLERY AND WASHINGTON by WILLIAM MEREDITH HOMAGE TO MARIANNE MOORE by ALICE NOTLEY HOMAGE TO ALFRED STIEGLITZ by MARVIN BELL HOMAGE TO LESTER FLATT by DAVID BOTTOMS HOW SHE BOWED TO HER BROTHER by GERTRUDE STEIN THEY SAY - . by JEAN STARR UNTERMEYER IN ROMNEY MARSH by JOHN DAVIDSON |
|