Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

Poetry Library Southbank Centre - The Poetry Library housing the Arts Council Collection at Southbank Centre

« Previous item
Contents of this issue
Next item »

Yann Lovelock

print this page

Rhetoric

There are three of them.

Each says, "As the fire we give ourselves to is seen far over the plain, so it will be a torch for centuries to come."

One wears an armour of toughened leather and an iron casque. He stands on the upper defensive wall of the Celtic camp, right hand lifted to support his eloquence. Below the hill the Roman campfires gleam reflected in the Neckar. Or it might be those of German tribes.

The second is tonsured and wears the robe of his Order. His hand is raised for the pastoral blessing. Painted on the wall behind him in the church is its patron, the warrior archangel Michael. A general, come down to mingle with the troops.

The third has descended the long flights of stairs, attended by torch-bearers and trumpeters. His voice echoes back from the curved walls and is carried easily to the thousands ranged on the stone benches they have just constructed. Booted and wearing a military shirt, he raises his right arm.

They fade into the shadow of the beeches in the autumn sun. The earth walls that surround the hill's crown are barely defined. At its top are the greyish red stones of the ruined monastery. From there a beaten path leads downslope to the Völkerrat.

Rhetoric of gold and red and shadow. Day by day the sun rises. The sun sets.


(Heidelberg, Oct. 1990)

 

Page(s) 10

Back to top