Delmore Schwartz - Parlez-Vous Francais?

Delmore Schwartz - Parlez-Vous Francais?

Caesar, the amplifier voice, announces br Crime and reparation. In the barber shop br Recumbent men attend, while absently br The barber doffs the naked face with cream. br Caesar proposes, Caesar promises br Pride, justice, and the sun br Brilliant and strong on everyone, br Speeding one hundred miles an hour across the land: br Caesar declares the will. The barber firmly br Planes the stubble with a steady hand, br While all in barber chairs reclining, br In wet white faces, fully understand br Good and evil, who is Gentile, weakness and command. br br And now who enters quietly? Who is this one br Shy, pale, and quite abstracted? Who is he? br It is the writer merely, with a three-day beard, br His tiredness not evident. He wears no tie. br And now he hears his enemy and trembles, br Resolving, speaks: "Ecoutez! La plupart des hommes br Vivent des vies de desespoir silenciuex, br Victimes des intentions innombrables. Et ca br Cet homme sait bien. Les mots de cette voix sont br Des songes et des mensonges. Il prend choix, br Il prend la volonte, il porte la fin d'ete. br La guerre. Ecoutez-moi! Il porte la mort." br He stands there speaking and they laugh to hear br Rage and excitement from the foreigner.


User: PoemHunter.com

Views: 8

Uploaded: 2014-11-07

Duration: 01:54