Vincent O'Sullivan: "liberal"

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DaisyNinjaGirl
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Vincent O'Sullivan: "liberal"

Post by DaisyNinjaGirl »

One of the quiz questions made me remember this poem. O'Sullivan is a NZ poet who, coincidentally, taught me for a semester at Victoria University.

liberal
Consider this:
A man who feels for the people.
A friend to the ill-favoured.
Never a word against the bar-
barians assuming Roman dress.

Reconcile this:
A believer in man's potential.
A voice raised against the games
where human flesh is sport.
A man whose eyes fill at music.

You might at least concede:
No man went hungry from my door.
No woman was molested.
No child was imposed on.
Humanitas inevitable as breath.

I who might have, have
never raped, pillaged, extorted;
abused office or position;
concealed; interfered with art;
stood between any man and sunset.

And yet you say,
I have killed a god. I have made
of impartiality, a farce.
I have dabbled in chaos. I,
Pilate. Who vote as you do.
(she/her)
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merry
  
  
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Vincent O'Sullivan: "liberal"

Post by merry »

What a poem. I had to read it twice and it's still in my thoughts. One of those 'every line is necessary, every line is perfect', pieces of writing.

How super to have been taught by him for a term.
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
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