Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IMMEDIATES, by CHARLES TORY BRUCE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

IMMEDIATES, by                    
First Line: Immediates? Let us take for text
Last Line: "to tell us what immediates are."
Subject(s): Justice


Immediates? Let us take for text
The bite of salt through sodden wool,
And place a running headrope next
Ink by the pen or bucketful.

A cent for haddock, two for cod;
Weather a chance, and wind a guess—
But no allegiance to the god
Of unavailing bitterness.

Here on the roofless beach they know
The fallibility of plan,
That justice and injustice grow
Not from the system but the man.

An ageless land and sea conspire
To smooth the imperfect mould of birth;
While freezing spray and drying fire
Translate the inexplicit earth:

"Get understanding first of these:
The open cut, the healing scar;
Before you flick prophetic keys
To tell us what immediates are."





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