~ The Poet's Place Cafe~

I finally completed the Cento poem assignment.
Smooth Operator

How early he’d learnt to dissemble,
He thought he kept the universe alone;
He was no fool; appreciated
Enough to make a spirit moan

He could have spoken without harming,
So almost clear yet so obscure.
He should have settled for disarming
From side to side in argument

Public opinion - here’s our idol,
It were unworthy on the tongue
True, scorn should punish and should brindle
Unless our purpose is doing harm.

Happy a hundredfold, whoever
- In glorifying courage
That fired his soul, to burn the same
Only within. Inside the brain.


Cento – Alexander Pushkin (1 & 3 lines) and Robert Frost (2 & 4 lines)
From Pushkin: Eugene Onegin – Chapter 1 (IX²,) X, Chapter 2 XI, Chapter 4 LI, Chapter 6 VIII, XI
From Frost: The Most of It, A Missive Missile, The Wind and the Rain, The Times Table, A Masque of Mercy, An Unstamped Letter in Our Rural Letter Box


everyjones