Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HERE IS MUSIC: ARTHUR RIVERS FREELING; IN MEMORIAM, by AUSTIN PHILIPS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HERE IS MUSIC: ARTHUR RIVERS FREELING; IN MEMORIAM, by                    
First Line: Friend of my youth, for all time young to me
Last Line: Where I miss no man as I now miss you.
Subject(s): Men; Youth


FRIEND of my Youth, for all time young to me,
Comrade in callow hours on Life's long stage,
Spiritual kinsman in captivity,
My fellow-clerk in Civil Service cage,
Sharer of slender joys that seemed so vast,
Twin slave of fathers' follies which o'ercast
Our futures from first outset, gentle heart,
Joyous companion, wittier counterpart,
Who loved where I loved, sought, long since, to woo
The same unworthy woman to joint hurt. ...
Ah, I miss no man as I now miss you!

Shall I forget glad, graceless hours when we,
Victorious, vital, rose from vassalage
Of soul and body, soared, sublime and free,
A fleeting space in happy commonage,
Walked Earth as Gods might walk it, broke and blast
Cold, carking chains, first met to fashion fast
Friendship, foregathered 'neath one roof, the smart
Of worldly failure shed forthwith, would flirt
With foretaste of success and riches, drew
Joy from gay jesting, cynic, malapert. ...?
Ah, I miss no man as I now miss you!

Once, from our high-perched office aerie,
We rocked with laughter, looking o'er the sedge
Of So'ton's shore, flashed mirror in rare glee
Full in the sun 'fore horse-drawn equipage,
Watched the poor beast bite blazing ball, aghast,
Then, stirr'd to gallop, hunt it in mad haste. ...
Once and again and oft we made resort
To revel in Victorian Plays, found sport
In dry Dan Leno's quips, with loud bravo
Cheered Marie Lloyd's new song, salt, spiced and tart. ...
Ah, I miss no man as I now miss you!

Those Bovril sandwiches, that Burgundy
From flagon of Australian lineage
Out-poured at luncheon-hour, I seem to see
Olympian fare, fastidious cellarage. ...
That constant chop, that camembert's crude taste
Yet linger on my palate as repast
In luxury hotel or great chef's art
Can never linger, far-famed wits divert
Me not as your smiled mot aforetime knew
To stir to laughter, set my sense alert. ...
Ah, I miss no man as I now miss you!

If live man's thought, by miracle, might be
Brought to dead ear in passionate pilgrimage,
Surely these thoughts, through sheer intensity,
'Cross Styx would find quick freight, fast ferriage,
So that your pallid shade should glow, embrac'd
By my warm love, discover Hades' waste
Made glad with flow'rs of friendship, learn harsh, swart,
Inhospitable sands grow glad, be girt
With fond affection, green and gracious show,
Lethè's sad spell fade shattered, Life revert. ...
Ah, I miss no man as I now miss you!

Envoi

Alas! You shall not find such just desert.
Mad, wishful thinkings men in vain exert.
My task is but to wear my bitter rue,
And walk remaining way 'mid crowd and mart,
Where I miss no man as I now miss you.





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