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

 III

That year
                  the serenity of the first period long passed
                            the ninth day before the Kalends of October
                                   after all sorts of intrigue
                                   in the midst of a period of anarchy
                   subject to an overwhelming lassitude
                   he was ravaged by the fires
                                   of the conflagration
                                   which he himself had lit
                   Charmed by the beauty of the flames
                                   he remained stupefied
                            "Why do you persecute me?"

                   Fleeing the mundanity
                   he saw in dream
                             a cloud of angels breaking free
                             beautiful expression of joy

Inspired by this vision
                             theoretician of perspective
                             he put his talent to the service of trompe l'oeil
                             The critics
                                    spoke of an architecture
                                    "against the grain"

His moral vigour
                             (there remain some traces of it, still)
                             supported his vocation:
                             to make the scenes more visible

He extended his house
                     then reconstructed it
                             after a fire
                                    had destroyed it
                     crowning achievement of his art
                     bewildering in its movement
                     and its light

There was an ornamental lake
                      with the likeness of "a sea"
                                  (there were also four stables
                                   differentiated by colour)
                       a wrought-iron cage
                       an aviary
                                and above all else
                                       the most talkative
                                       of talking statues

                               "The head is soft and beautiful
                                the soft regard …"

Peacefully outstretched
                            the colossus seems to be a trifle bored
                            contemplating the water in the fountain
                "Domine quo vadis?"

                 Caesar was blamed
                                  another talking statue
                        because he read his mail at the amphitheatre

                  He launched a fleet in their pursuit, annihilating them :
                           first Roman naval victory