Lilie Lilies White

[Philip Locke]

Lilie Lilies WhiteorA Stretch of Lines i.You don’t know, ohYou don’t knowThe times, flowing riversGlee! A fish’s back, fin rainbow shattering dreamson a scale brow eyebrowii.Sorry the poem you’relooking for can notbe found puh-lease tryiii.Jovial laughter snowscreaming pregnant liliesblossom under swiftlyarching bridges blowkindly praisies tiding beyondgreen clad mountainswhite topped gray hairsiv.thudding dmmdmmonce twice thricevice dispelled cherubic smilesflickering midwinterrunning naked 1000water lilies marks Marcmarked atop crests of bleating horses pastures London England Angle land.v.You don’t know a long timeWhen you loveinfinite infinities passwith blinks round hearts.Still two oceans bluestaring onward into meI go and sail ‘pon them, smiling.vi.Chile north of the borderSan Jose far away YIPbest w/o slow ticked moustached lightlysparsely black fine haired slow.vii.One child runningnaked covered withsnow toes hugging lilieswhich are whitefrantically white what snowI just see liliesblossom in thecold air wet windslicking coolly at your lips necklilie blossomsbossoms.viii.you love glaringstreet lights Yuppies w/ blue cocktailslittle umbrellas piercingcanned pineapple mm cherryCherries red syrupy flowdown syrup flows overblueberries seven pancakescry syrup rivulets A childhood staple.ix.let’s Swing! okay on the flooryes let’s.ah what splendid infernosdisco magicians spin roundround.x.lol luvyalotz upona tree top ring addingding a lin dickoryclock, ad hoc committeesenator Mr. Presidentno I don’t lul sry.xi.king Arthur showme your Avalon by godAvalon Guvna Arthurshow me it or yourwhite Camelot laidwith lilies and lily treesa bush or two, a spreadingflower under that.Is it safe from black nightsblack knights? Are round tablessafe from squares?Do you hear requiems ringthrough ol Avalon’ssacred halls? off the dewylilies and rubycrowns hushing goodbye?Camelot,goodbye.xii.eleven choirs ofangels Jesus ChristKing Christ Nazarenein a chair on a stone’sedge a throne abovethe sun, upon the Sonis perched on it joyousjoyous church triumphantBeethoven 9thWe are violins play Us, Lord we’retrumpets blare us AllahBuddha Xmas play yourinstruments play the tune.But we shall build greaterTaj Mahals for streetwalkers(for better or worse)xiii.TWENTY HAIKUone – Little buzzing beeNectar coated and yellowStay alive, stay well!xiv.now I know you’re ataken backbut puhlease believe me—glass stretches across mountains;men diet on worms;apes conduct Parliaments;We crown princes George,crown queens Boy George!xv.wheedle dee deehello muncheeslittle clouds ‘boveunder the sky, a heavy slantrunning nowhere andthrough end of summer streets,burning mystic flights into wizarding planets.xvi.words sometimes collapsecrisp and wasted by the metaphysical,beyond fingers, a pulsingawareness not beat by hearts.Oh tasting connectionsunknown to any but abillion glaring starsburning like lilies!xvii.Fitting into oh god!10,000 lilies 10,000wishes and 100,000 saddest desperations, toojust don’t work.that’s why prayers crumplebefore reaching divine ears,son.xviii.Does it trouble you, Starsto shine like lilieswhite bold beautiful(colder perhaps)for nightmaresas well as fantasies?Tonight I pray that youglow on the lips of poetsin the hearts of loversbefore the eyes of seekers!Not above icicled telescopes or above furious sirens, red.The sun shows Us enough demonstonight shine free glad and wide.xix.ten thousand laughingtear jerking maniacsstorm troopers evil empiresNuremberg.Storm troopers black bootsblack hearts crushing whitelilies, white eyes, souls, songs.lord, I cry before a fallen storm trooper!When We were young Westole candy togethergiggled and got sick togethersticky lipped behinda tree— no rifle or jackbootswill stain those hands to mealas! yea they touched lilies toothey held gods.xx.You don’t know twisting galsblue boots red necks neckedturkeys.xxi.Call me alive butI’ll just keep onballading away.Lilies in a row,Now so emptyNow so full.--Locke

[Zirandorthel]

Well, I read this a few times, and still couldn't make much sense of it. After talking to you, the structure of the poem made more sense, if not the meaning. If a whole swelter of images, not necessary complimenting each other, but remaining in your mind, was what you meant to accomplish, then good job, Phil. I like stanzas 11 and 12 especially. Sun Bless, Earth KeepZirandorthel I of TreesiaThe Golden DarknessNiirus TinenetuwarLet the fates burn!

[Philip Locke]

It's my first real brush with nonlinear poetry, and certainly not my last. Locke.