Dream Song 121: Grief is fatiguing He is out of it

Grief is fatiguing. He is out of it,

the whole humiliating Human round,

out of this & that.

He made a-many hearts go pit-a-pat

who now need never mind his nostril-hair

nor a critical error laid bare.

He endured fifty years. He was Randall Jarrell

and wrote a-many books & he wrote well.

Peace to the bearded corpse.

His last book was his best. His wives loved him.

He saw in the forest something coming, grim,

but did not change his purpose.

Honest & cruel, peace now to his soul.

He never loved his body, being full of dents.

A wrinkled peace to this good man.

Henry is half in love with one of his students

and the sad process continues to the whole

as it swarmed & began.