To a magic of numbers flying before your thought
Through a door that closes against your breathless wonder？
Is there no Ear round the ear of a man； that it senses
Through strings and columns of air the soul of sound？
I thrill as I call it a tuning fork that catches
The waves of mingled music and light from afar；
The antennae of
Thought that listens through utmost space。
Surely the concord that ruled my spirit is proof
Of an Ear that tuned me； able to tune me over
And use me again if I am worthy to use。
Russell Kincaid
IN the last spring I ever knew；
In those last days； I sat in the forsaken orchard
Where beyond fields of greenery shimmered
The hills at Miller's Ford；
Just to muse on the apple tree
With its ruined trunk and blasted branches；
And shoots of green whose delicate blossoms
Were sprinkled over the skeleton tangle；
Never to grow in fruit。
And there was I with my spirit girded
By the flesh half dead； the senses numb
Yet thinking of youth and the earth in youth；
Such phantom blossoms palely shining
Over the lifeless boughs of Time。
O earth that leaves us ere heaven takes us！
Had I been only a tree to shiver
With dreams of spring and a leafy youth；
Then I had fallen in the cyclone
Which swept me out of the soul's suspense
Where it's neither earth nor heaven。
Aaron Hatfield
BETTER than granite； Spoon River；
Is the memory…picture you keep of me
Standing before the pioneer men and women
There at Concord Church on Communion day。
Speaking in broken voice of the peasant youth
Of Galilee who went to the city
And was killed by bankers and lawyers；
My voice mingling with the June wind
That blew over wheat fields from Atterbury；
While the white stones in the burying ground
Around the Church shimmered in the summer sun。
And there； though my own memories
Were too great to bear； were you； O pioneers；
With bowed heads breathing forth your sorrow
For the sons killed in battle and the daughters
And little children who vanished in life's morning；
Or at the intolerable hour of noon。
But in those moments of tragic silence；
When the wine and bread were passed；
Came the reconciliation for us
Us the ploughmen and the hewers of wood；
Us the peasants； brothers of the peasant of Galilee
To us came the Comforter
And the consolation of tongues of flame！
Isaiah Beethoven
THEY told me I had three months to live；
So I crept to Bernadotte；
And sat by the mill for hours and hours
Where the gathered waters deeply moving
Seemed not to move：
O world； that's you！
You are but a widened place in the river
Where Life looks down and we rejoice for her
Mirrored in us； and so we dream And turn away； but when again
We look for the face； behold the low…lands
And blasted cotton…wood trees where we empty
Into the larger stream！
But here by the mill the castled clouds
Mocked themselves in the dizzy water；
And over its agate floor at night
The flame of the moon ran under my eyes
Amid a forest stillness broken
By a flute in a hut on the hill。
At last when I came to lie in bed
Weak and in pain； with the dreams about me；
The soul of the river had entered my soul；
And the gathered power of my soul was moving
So swiftly it seemed to be at rest
Under cities of cloud and under
Spheres of silver and changing worlds
Until I saw a flash of trumpets
Above the battlements over Time。
Elijah Browning
I WAS among multitudes of children
Dancing at the foot of a mountain。
A breeze blew out of the east and swept them as leaves；
Driving some up the slopes。 。 。 。
All was changed。
Here were flying lights； and mystic moons； and dream…music。
A cloud fell upon us。
When it lifted all was changed。
I was now amid multitudes who were wrangling。
Then a figure in shimmering gold； and one with a trumpet；
And one with a sceptre stood before me。
They mocked me and danced a rigadoon and vanished。 。 。 。
All was changed again。
Out of a bower of poppies
A woman bared her breasts and lifted her open mouth to mine。
I kissed her。
The taste of her lips was like salt。
She left blood on my lips。
I fell exhausted。
I arose and ascended higher； but a mist as from an iceberg
Clouded my steps。
I was cold and in pain。
Then the sun streamed on me again；
And I saw the mists below me hiding all below them。
And I； bent over my staff； knew myself
Silhouetted against the snow。
And above me
Was the soundless air； pierced by a cone of ice；
Over which hung a solitary star！
A shudder of ecstasy； a shudder of fear
Ran through me。
But I could not return to the slopes
Nay； I wished not to return。
For the spent waves of the symphony of freedom
Lapped the ethereal cliffs about me。
Therefore I climbed to the pinnacle。
I flung away my staff。
I touched that star
With my outstretched hand。
I vanished utterly。
For the mountain delivers to
Infinite Truth
Whosoever touches the star。
Webster Ford
Do you remember； O Delphic Apollo；
The sunset hour by the river； when Mickey M'Grew
Cried； 〃There's a ghost；〃 and I； 〃It's Delphic Apollo；〃。
And the son of the banker derided us； saying； 〃It's light
By the flags at the water's edge； you half…witted fools。〃
And from thence； as the wearisome years rolled on； long after
Poor Mickey fell down in the water tower to his death
Down； down； through bellowing darkness； I carried
The vision which perished with him like a rocket which falls
And quenches its light in earth； and hid it for fear
Of the son of the banker； calling on Plutus to save me？
Avenged were you for the shame of a fearful heart
Who left me alone till I saw you again in an hour
When I seemed to be turned to a tree with trunk and branches
Growing indurate； turning to stone； yet burgeoning
In laurel leaves； in hosts of lambent laurel；
Quivering； fluttering； shrinking； fighting the numbness
Creeping into their veins from the dying trunk and branches！
OTis vain； O youth； to fly the call of Apollo。
Fling yourselves in the fire； die with a song of spring；
If die you must in the spring。 For none shall look
On the face of Apollo and live； and choose you must
OTwixt death in the flame and death after years of sorrow；
Rooted fast in the earth； feeling the grisly hand；
Not so much in the trunk as in the terrible numbness
Creeping up to the laurel leaves that never cease
To flourish until you fall。 O leaves of me
Too sere for coronal wreaths； and fit alone
For urns of memory； treasured； perhaps； as themes
For hearts heroic； fearless singers and livers
Delphic Apollo。
The Spooniad
OF John Cabanis； wrath and of the strife
Of hostile parties； and his dire defeat
Who led the common people in the cause
Of freedom for Spoon River； and the fall
Of Rhodes； bank that brought unnumbered woes
And loss to many； with engendered hate
That flamed into the torch in Anarch hands
To burn the courthouse； on whose blackened wreck
A fairer temple rose and Progress stood
Sing； muse； that lit the Chian's face with smiles
Who saw the ant…like Greeks and Trojans crawl
About Scamander； over walls； pursued
Or else pursuing； and the funeral pyres
And sacred hecatombs； and first because
Of Helen who with Paris fled to Troy
As soul…mate； and the wrath of Peleus； son；
Decreed to lose Chryseis； lovely spoil
Of war； and dearest concubine。
Say first；
Thou son of night； called Momus； from whose eyes
No secret hides； and Thalia； smiling one；
What bred Otwixt Thomas Rhodes and John Cabanis
The deadly strife？ His daughter Flossie； she；
Returning from her wandering with a troop
Of strolling players； walked the village streets；
Her bracelets tinkling and with sparkling rings
And words of serpent wisdom and a smile
Of cunning in her eyes。 Then Thomas Rhodes；
Who ruled the church and ruled the bank as well；
Made known his disapproval of the maid；
And all Spoon River whispered and the eyes
Of all the church frowned on her； till she knew
They feared her and condemned。
But them to flout
She gave a dance to viols and to flutes；
Brought from Peoria； and many youths；
But lately made regenerate through the prayers
Of zealous preachers and of earnest souls；
Danced merrily； and sought her in the dance；
Who wore a dress so low of neck that eyes
Down straying might survey the snowy swale
OTill it was lost in whiteness。
With the dance
The village changed to merriment from gloom。
The milliner； Mrs。 Williams； could not fill
Her orders for new hats； and every seamstress
Plied busy needles making gowns； old trunks
And chests were opened for their store of laces
And rings and trinkets were brought out of hiding
And all the youths fastidious grew of dress；
Notes passed； and many a fair one's door at eve
Knew a bouquet； and strolling lovers thronged
About the hills that overlooked the river。
Then； since the mercy seats more empty showed；
One of God's chosen lifted up his voice：
〃The woman of Babylon is among us； rise
Ye sons of light and drive the wanton forth！〃
So John Cabanis left the church and left
The hosts of law and order with his eyes
By anger cleared； and him the liberal cause
Acclaimed as nominee to the mayoralty
To vanquish A。 D。 Blood。
But as the war
Waged bitterly for votes and rumors flew
About the bank； and of the heavy loans
Which Rhodes； son had made to prop his loss
In wheat； and many drew their coin and left
The bank of Rhodes more hollow； with the talk
Among the liberals of another bank
Soon to be chartered； lo； the bubble burst
OMid cries and curses； but the liberals laughed
And in the hall of Nicholas Bindle held
Wise converse and inspiriting debate。
High on a stage that overlooked the chairs
Where dozens sat； and where a popeyed daub
Of Shakespeare； very like the hired man
Of Christian Dallmann； brow and pointed beard；
Upon a drab proscenium outward stared；
Sat Harmon Whitney； to that eminence；
By merit raised in ribaldry and guile；
And to the assembled rebels thus he spake：
〃Whether to lie supine and let a clique
Cold…blooded； scheming； hungry； singing psalms；
Devour our substance； wreck our banks and drain
Our little hoards for hazards on the price
Of wheat or pork； or yet to cower beneath
The sha