Dream Song 79

His Toy, His Dream, His Rest (1969)

Op. posth. no. 2

Whence flew the litter whereon he was laid?Of what heroic stuff was warlock Henry made?and questions of that sortperplexed the bulging cosmos, O in shortwas sandalwood in good supply when heflared out of history

& the obituary in The New York Timesinto the world of generositycreating the air where are& can be, only, heroes? Statues & rhymessignal his fiery Passage, a mountainous sea,the occlusion of a star:

anything afterward, of a high lament,let too his giant faults appear, as senttogether with his virtues downand let this day be his, throughout the town,region & cosmos, lest he freeze our bloodwith terrible returns.

His Toy, His Dream, His Rest (1969)