Jerusalem
reading of lovely Jerusalem,
lovely, ruined Jerusalem.
we are brought to the port
where the boats in line are
and the high tower on the hill
and the prows starting again
into the mist.
for we must seek
by going down,
down into the city
for our song.
deep into the city
for our peace.
for it is there
that peace lies
folded
like a pool.
there we shall seek:
it is from there
she’ll flower.
for lovely, ruined Jerusalem
lovely sad Jerusalem
lies furled
under cities of light.
for we are only
going down,
only descending
by this song
to where the cities
gleam in the darkness,
or curled like roots
sit waiting
at the undiscovered
pool.
what pressure
thrusts us up
as we descend?
pressure
of the city’s singing
pressure of
the song
she hath witheld.
hath long witheld.
for none
would hear
her.
da The Circus of the Sun
in 33 Poems –
Robert Lax
Composizione corale della poesia Jerusalem di Kile Smith che nel suo Album The Arc in the Sky ha musicato alcuni lavori di Lax (l’album è finalista al 2020 Grammy Award.
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in copertina un’opera di Donald Judd