Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ANTI-SUNDAY-SERMON, by ALFRED FRANCIS KREYMBORG



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ANTI-SUNDAY-SERMON, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The quickest way to maim an artist
Last Line: I faithfully still believe!
Subject(s): God; Sabbath; Sermons; Sunday


The quickest way to maim an artist
is everlastingly to remind him
of something he did yesterday
invariably of obvious appeal
and ephemeral duration:
I faithfully believe
that if God got a little respite
from the deafening hosannahs
of unanimous idolaters,
it would afford the Old Man
a chance to refresh Himself
for the invention of something
desperately new, if not better,
desperately needed to-day:
To be eternally hailed:
"Old Chap,
shake a hand with me,
You've never done
and You'll never do
another piece of sculpture
like that little group,
the Adam and Eva --
the most delicious thing
ever shown on the Avenue --
folk raving about it everywhere,
the dealers all vying
in the exhibition of replicas
every Sunday,
Sunday mornings,
Sunday noons,
Sunday afternoons,
Sunday evenings,
Sunday nights --
the critics frantically debating
the merits and demerits
as represented by
the wholesale reproductions --
disagreeing about details,
to be sure --
one or two
with the particular audacity
to brand this or that
example, a fake --
but all agreeing absolutely
that the original --
when You first set
thumbs to the clay --
well, You're a wonder, Old Top,
a marvel, a miracle,
nobody like You, shake!"
Not even the devil,
that one-time dissenter,
seems to have the energy
to prick the Old Man into action,
provoke Him with inspiration --
so for God's sake and ours! --
I exhort you! --
give the Poor Fellow a chance! --
allow Him His day of rest! --
even the space of a breath will do,
I faithfully still believe!





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