Seamus Heaney - The Tollund Man

Seamus Heaney - The Tollund Man

I br br Some day I will go to Aarhus br To see his peat-brown head, br The mild pods of his eye-lids, br His pointed skin cap. br br In the flat country near by br Where they dug him out, br His last gruel of winter seeds br Caked in his stomach, br br Naked except for br The cap, noose and girdle, br I will stand a long time. br Bridegroom to the goddess, br br She tightened her torc on him br And opened her fen, br Those dark juices working br Him to a saint's kept body, br br Trove of the turfcutters' br Honeycombed workings. br Now his stained face br Reposes at Aarhus. br br br II br br br I could risk blasphemy, br Consecrate the cauldron bog br Our holy ground and pray br Him to make germinate br br The scattered, ambushed br Flesh of labourers, br Stockinged corpses br Laid out in the farmyards, br br Tell-tale skin and teeth br Flecking the sleepers br Of four young brothers, trailed br For miles along the lines. br br III br br br Something of his sad freedom br As he rode the tumbril br Should come to me, driving, br Saying the names br br Tollund, Grauballe, Nebelgard, br br Watching the pointing hands br Of country people, br Not knowing their tongue. br br Out here in Jutland br In the old man-killing parishes br I will feel lost, br Unhappy and at home.


User: PoemHunter.com

Views: 208

Uploaded: 2014-11-10

Duration: 01:55

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