Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

I, CAEDMON, by                    
First Line: But a verveless tongue, and a rust-red pen
Last Line: And sing as I can till the heavens fall!
Alternate Author Name(s): Pratt, Laurence
Subject(s): Caedmon (7th Century)


-- But a verveless tongue, and a rust-red pen,
And a fog-dark brain -- I cry again
I cannot voice the stars' mad choir, --
Revivify lad David's lyre
To revelations Eden-sweet
While Man and God and Satan meet.

Soul of the moon, beg not of me
To chime your lambent ecstasy.
Spirit of wind, cease, cease demanding
Paeans of pride, bright understanding.
Heart of the sea, beat not my heart,
Thrusting my close-shut lips apart.

Djinns of the night and wraiths of the day,
Make me not shout your pain away;
Angels and devils, I cannot tell
Your life in heaven, your death in hell;
Must I, weak mortal, laugh and curse
For a tortured, voiceless universe?

I mumble and lisp, and my pen lies broken;
My frail tongue quavers at each word spoken.
I will not sing -- O torment! stay!
Spirits, my masters, off! away!
Cease scourging and rending! I'll mend my scrawl,
And sing as I can till the heavens fall!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net