Poem VAR #449

I died for beauty but was scarce
adjusted in the tomb
when one who died for truth was lain
in an adjoining room

He questioned softly why I failed
“for beauty” I replied
“and I for truth the two are one
we brethren are” he said

And so as kinsmen met at night
we talked between the rooms
until the moss had reached our lips
and covered up our names



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HWL's Comment

Date of writing: 1979

Subject: In symbolism a perfect description of a mutual climax in heterosexual intercourse. If it should happen to be also a perfect description of a lesbian consummation, reciprocal appeasements of each other by the two women would account for two rooms in this variation. I take this for a workshop poem whose original concept may well go back into the preKate period.



Symbols

death, fail, lip, name, room, soft, tomb

Categories

Fascicle 34, HWL Packet 90's