the ancient scrivener

by T.P. Wilkinson / August 11th, 2019

ink, ink everywhere
and all the boards did shrink
cracked the skull
blood everywhere
and not a thought to think
the stool that broke
the head that bled
while sewn
saw all those books unread
saw all that wished
had been fulfilled
that now that shell
could soon be chilled
were not the physics
young but trained
ready and willing
to protect that brain.

T.P. Wilkinson, Dr. rer. pol. writes, teaches History and English, directs theatre and coaches cricket between the cradles of Heine and Saramago. He is author of Unbecoming American: A War Memoir and also Church Clothes, Land, Mission and the End of Apartheid in South Africa. Read other articles by T.P..

This article was posted on Sunday, August 11th, 2019 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.