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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE WORD IS DEED, by JOHN BROOKS WHEELWRIGHT Poet's Biography First Line: John begins like genesis Last Line: Dance all, for each would dare the tune.) Subject(s): Labor & Laborers; Tools; Work; Workers | |||
John begins like Genesis: In the Beginning was the Word; Engels misread: Was the Deed. But, before ever any Deed came the sound of the last of the Deed, coming came with the coming Word (which answers everything with dancing.) In our Beginning our Word: 'Make a tool to make a tool' distinguished Man from Brute. (Men who dance know what was done.) Good and Evil took root in this, the cause of Destinies whence every Revolution rose and stirred. Jubal Cain and Tubal Cain made the plow and jubilee to protest, in ranks hostile to Seth Seth's all-too-loyal mutiny. Ways to work determinate moulds for intelligence. Discoveries follow thence obscured by fallibilities' compensating philosophies doubted soon as heard. (Who dance not know not what they do). But when, against Fate, error wards: "Frustrate while ye mirror kind Disaster, blind Chance, enemies at once and guards . . ." muscles of thought comply: "Think, act in answer to desire; from the will springs Promethean fire." Deeds make us. May, therefore, when our Last Judgment find our work be just: all tools, from foot rules to flutes praise us; and our deeds' praise find the Second Coming of the Word. (Dance, each whose nature is to dance; dance all, for each would dare the tune.) | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AFTER WORKING SIXTY HOURS AGAIN FOR WHAT REASON by HICOK. BOB DAY JOB AND NIGHT JOB by ANDREW HUDGINS BIXBY'S LANDING by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON BUILDING WITH STONE by ROBINSON JEFFERS LINES FROM A PLUTOCRATIC POETASTER TO A DITCH-DIGGER by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS IN CALIFORNIA: MORNING, EVENING, LATE JANUARY by DENISE LEVERTOV AVE EVA by JOHN BROOKS WHEELWRIGHT BOSTON IN SUMMER, WITH A CONFESSION by JOHN BROOKS WHEELWRIGHT |
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