Invigorating illustrations of illustrious scribblers...

W.H. Auden - "The More Loving One"

Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell, 
But on earth indifference is the least
We have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?

If equal affection cannot be, 
Let the more loving one be me.

Admirer as I think I am
Of stars that do not give a damn,
I cannot, now I see them, say
I missed one terribly all day.

Were all stars to disappear or die, 
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total darkness sublime, 
Though this might take me a little time.

E.A. Robinson - "The Old Story"

Strange that I did not know him then,

That friend of mine!

I did not even show him then

One friendly sign;

But cursed him for the ways he had

To make me see

My envy of the praise he had

For praising me.

I would have rid the earth of him

Once, in my pride! . . .

I never knew the worth of him

Until he died.

E.A. Robinson - "The World"

Some are the brothers of all humankind,
And own them, whatsoever their estate;
And some, for sorrow and self-scorn, are blind
With enmity for man's unguarded fate.
For some there is a music all day long
Like flutes in Paradise, they are so glad;
And there is hell's eternal under-song
Of curses and the cries of men gone mad.
Some say the Scheme with love stands luminous,
Some say 't were better back to chaos hurled;
And so 't is what we are that makes for us
The measure and the meaning of the world.

And, finally, just another one... hate to bore you all, but this stuff interests me & if it's interesting to me, it must be Interesting.

E.A. Robinson - "The Story of Ashes and the Flame"

No matter why, nor whence, nor when she came,

There was her place. No matter what men said,

No matter what she was; living or dead,

Faithful or not, he loved her all the same.

The story was as old as human shame,

But ever since that lonely night she fled,

With books to blind him, he had only read

The story of the ashes and the flame.

There she was always coming pretty soon

To fool him back, with penitent scared eyes

That had in them the laughter of the moon

For baffled lovers, and to make him think --

Before she gave him time enough to wink --

Sin's kisses were the keys to Paradise.